As Thunder Rolls
by Susannah
Summary: Ginny's in her sixth and life just got interesting; a mystery unfolds at Hogwarts, moulds are shattered and an already unbalanced world begins to tilt... DG but not as traditional as you'd think :)
1. Reflections

Prologue - Reflections 

The white snowy owl preened her feathers, making rustling noises whilst sitting on his shoulder. Her pure white and speckled grey feather contrasted sharply with his unkempt ebony locks.

Harry Potter continued to study the dark night sky from the small window of the shabby room with peeling wallpaper where he had spent his last seventeen summers. _But this will be my last. Ever. _He thought contemplatively. To say he'd be happy to be leaving the Dursley's would be like saying the ocean got occasionally damp. Happy didn't even begin to cover how he would feel.

_And that will be tomorrow!_ He pushed himself up from the lumpy bed, dislodging Hedwig from his shoulder, with a slightly insulted squawk she flew to where her cage was standing before fixing Harry with a disapproving glare and burying her head indignantly beneath her wing, settling into silence. Harry stole silently across the usually squeaky floorboards to the other side of the room where his dented trunk lay.

After a little digging around he found the essential store of confectionary and broke off some of Honeydukes best, munching on it thoughtfully. He was glad he'd caved to packing all the extra food at Ron and Hermione's insistence; he didn't know how he would have survived on the occasional lettuce leaf Aunt Petunia had graced him with. The summer itself hadn't been too bad; he could deal with people acting as though he didn't exist. At least he wasn't being permanently punished for no apparent reason. Harry just thanked god that Dudley was away this summer at some Smelting's summer school camp. Apparently he'd sat on one of his teachers and consequently they had had to be committed (although Harry wasn't entirely certain, as Uncle Vernon was quite tight-lipped about it. _Though he seemed to be angrier about the fact I was the same height as him _reflected Harry). So the school decided that to prevent further loss of the teaching body, Dudley should take a summer course of strict disciplined exercise. Harry would've paid decent galleons to be able to watch that.

It was indeed true that Harry had grown substantially over the summer. _Not as tall as Ron though _he thought ruefully. However he was still a good 5ft 11 and had maintained the slim seeker build but had filled out across his shoulders which added a thoughtful presence to his height. All in all he decided that he liked 17 a lot more than 16, growing out of the halting awkwardness that was a product of growing tall, fast, would take some time though.

And tomorrow he would be going to the Burrow for the last two weeks before school began. And he would never, ever, have to set foot in 4, Privet Drive again. Picket fences and all. Harry sighed in relief at the prospect. It would be strange though, after this he would have to… grow up. Make his own way. His own living. He shook his head in an attempt to extricate himself from these thoughts, he'd build and hopefully cross those bridges when he came to them.

Harry sighed and turned around, catching sight of himself in the mirror. Bottle-green eyes stared back at him from behind thin wire frames. He had slightly bushy eyebrows that were shaped in such a way that they made him always appear as though deep in thought, whereas his hair belied this by looking like he spent his spare time being pulled through hedges and asking haystacks for style tips.

_And of course _he thought sardonically _you can't forget my 'claim to fame' _Harry grimaced at his reflection before reaching up and pushing wayward hair away from his forehead. There it was, standing out starkly against his pale skin, his lightning-bolt shaped scar, which had so far shaped his life as well. The one thing that stood between him and the much dreamt of state of normalcy that other teenagers enjoyed. Harry grunted to himself, before turning to see Hedwig roosting peacefully and deciding to get some sleep himself.

_Lest Mrs Weasley start ranting over how thin and pale I look _he thought fondly. Harry clambered awkwardly onto the knobbly bedstead, wriggling to dislodge the various bruise-causing lumps. Though _at least I'm not as scrawny as Malfoy, _he reflected wryly _Mrs Weasley would have a fit if she ever met him. _He grinned before drifting into a deep and fitful sleep.

# # #

The object of his amusement was in fact lying in a very grandiose room not as far away as Harry would've thought. But he was presently contemplating the ceiling, wondering why sleep eluded him once again. Draco's thoughts turned to the impending end of the holidays and the inconvenience of having to return to Hogwarts. _But only for one more year _he thought consolingly. After that he'd be his own man, a free man. These thoughts unintentionally mirrored Harry's earlier ones.

_No more Crabbe and Goyle, _He thought happily_, no more Father breathing down my neck _he smiled_ and no more Saint-perfect-bleeding-Potter! _Came his last vehement thought.

Now, if only the year would get underway, the sooner it would be finished, then sooner he'd be out of this dump and on his way too… well wherever he wanted to be on his way to! Then he would never have to answer to another human being again, not his parents (if you could even call them parents), not his friends (who, if it was possible, were even less friendly than his parents) and certainly NEVER the 'Dark Lord' in all his overrated glory. _Certainly he was too much for any girl to handle, maybe even any woman _Draco grinned smugly to himself. With the last thought of finality he turned over and fell into further contemplation of his bedside cabinet. Then, without warning, sleep crept up and took him rapidly into a dreamless bliss.

Little did he know how wrong he would be proved to be.

# # #

A/N: This is my first story, so please tell me what you think!

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot. And occasionally random names and creations.


	2. Rhetorically speaking

Chapter 1 – Rhetorically Speaking… 

Ginny growled at her reflection. She could NOT go to Diagon Alley looking like this. She sighed long-sufferingly and tugged her hair out of the sixth ponytail it had been positioned in. she frowned at the girl who stared back at her from the mirror seeing, as is common with most teenage girls, only the imperfections.

At a very recent 16 years old, Ginny stood a not-so-formidable 5ft five, but she held herself with a straight back and a proud chin that gave the appearance of being taller than she in reality was. Waves of rich, bright, auburn hair fell across her shoulders, the summer sun had bleached it to verging on strawberry blonde nearing her crown. But that would darken rapidly as the winter months drew on. Greeny-hazel eyes glared back at her, the colour of which, to her, were quite unremarkable, but through them so many emotions showed that they constantly seemed to be sparkling with life. And of course the spattering of freckles, which had become much more pronounced over the summer, that covered her nose and cheekbones. She wrinkled her face distastefully. _Whose idea of a joke was it to invent freckles anyway _she thought in annoyance.

In just under a week Ginny would be going back to Hogwarts for her sixth year. She considered this thoughtfully whilst scooping up her long hair and attempting another ponytail.

There was a sharp crack and the hair band pinged across the room, no longer in a circular shape. Ginny muttered a few choice words that would have made even her brothers blush before stamping her foot in annoyance. That was her last decent hair band as well!

"Ginevra Olivia Weasley! Get your pretty little bottom down here right now!" Ron's dulcet tones floated up the stairs, making the roof tiles rattle. "Don't make me come and get you!" he added, almost as an afterthought.

Ginny sighed before rolling her eyes.

"You had best go," piped up her mirror, "he sounded quite angry." Ginny glared at it. It always took Ron's side.

# # #

Diagon Alley was bustling with people as usual, every height, shape and expression, carrying every possible shape of baggage. Ginny sat on a slightly rotten lurid green bench, surveying how much money she had, and what she could actually purchase with it. Her clothes/shoes train of thought was (quite rudely) interrupted by a loud squeal, and she was one of the 'lucky' spectators to witness the joyful reunion of Harry, Ron and Hermione. She watched reluctantly, feeling the familiar stirrings of jealousy in her heart.

Ginny scooped up her money into a blue tattered purse and wandered absently away from the happy threesome, only barely avoiding being bruised by a hurrying young mother with a peculiarly large star-shaped package. Internally Ginny shook herself, angry that she still hadn't come to terms with 'The Harry Thing'.

Harry James Potter. She still often wondered what he thought about, what were his fears and doubts, whether he ever thought of her… At sixteen she understood that he was not going to love her in the way she wanted, and he never had. Desperately a part of her wanted to hate him passionately, to curse his name and hold a grudge. But whatever other weaknesses she held, she was strong enough to judge and condemn people to things they had no control over. And she knew Harry had no control over what he felt for her, just as she had none over her infatuation in return. _Past infatuation _she reminded herself vehemently. He would always see her as a substitute little sister, and she would eventually come to terms with that she hoped. Ginny sighed, meandering absently.

The colours and noise washed over her, and she took a time to just enjoy the sun on her face and to ignore the frustration in her heart. Unintentionally her random drifting guided her into Retorick Alley.

Tripping over a loose cobblestone sent her tumbling back to reality. Feeling the blood rush to her cheeks she quickly scrambled upright and brushed off her robes. _Just pretend nothing happened! _She told herself firmly, grimacing as she felt a bruise begin to blossom on her knees, Ginny glanced around apprehensively before sighing in relief _it's not as if I know anyone around… here… _she took another good look around her, sure there was no one pointing and laughing, but where on earth?Ginny realised she didn't have an iota of an idea where she was. At the same time she caught sight on the worst-possible-person-at-this-particular-time on the other side of the Alley. Draco Malfoy in all his tasteful glory lazed unconcernedly against a nearby brick wall being talked at by his father.

Ducking not-so-elegantly behind a nearby neon pink bench (_who chose the bench colour scheme anyhow?) _she scrutinized Malfoy interestedly _I'm not hiding because I'm SCARED _she reassured herself _ I just don't LIKE him._ He looked very bored she observed, well she imagined she would be too if Lucius Malfoy was lecturing HER. Well actually she'd probably run away and hide. But that was neither here nor there. _Not that he'd ever lower himself to talk to me anyway _Ginny assured herself placidly. She let her gaze rove over the shops and window fronts in this strange higgledy-piggledy place. At least it wasn't Knockturn Alley; she thanked the gods for small mercies.

Ginny's gaze strayed back to the Malfoys to discover they had vanished. _Well, at least now all I have to worry about is getting back and finding the rest of my family _she thought, standing up. Surprisingly Ginny found she was quite calm, considering she was hopelessly lost, there weren't too many people about and the only person she HAD seen who she'd known had been MALFOY of all people.

"Lost something Miss Weasley?" came a cold inflection from just behind her left shoulder.

Ginny was certain she jumped at least a foot in the air, before spinning wand in hand to face whoever it was.

Draco cocked an eyebrow amusedly _quick reaction_ he noted.

"God" she breathed clutching her pounding heart and taking deep breaths.

"Yes, but you can just call me 'Malfoy'" he replied with a mock self-sacrificial air.

"JEEZ Malfoy," Ginny hissed, irritated "was it really necessary to sneak up?"

He shrugged noncommittally.

They eyed each other up as opponents do, noting strengths, weaknesses, and occasionally just things of interest.

Draco broke the face off, which served to mildly confuse Ginny, "I don't see your tribe." He paused, smirking "Sorry, FAMILY"

Instead of going the traditional red Weasley colour Ginny simply smiled sweetly, this time confusing Draco. "Yes I do seem to have misplaced them rather, don't I? Which I guess is a pro for you, else you'd probably be plastered up against the wall" she replied, imitating Draco's shrug from earlier.

Ginny was quite impressed with herself; somehow she'd managed to string an entire COHERENT sentence together to Malfoy! Draco was quite taken aback for the same reason. He recovered quickly.

"Little minds shouldn't be left to wander," he sneered calmly "they get lost easily. And often," he took a step closer menacingly, as she backed up a step "bite off more than they can chew." He had her backed against the side of the lane now. "Merlin knows how you got into Retorick Alley in the first place, this is the Alley of the well-spoken, and I have to say you stick out like a sore-thumb"

" Then I deduce that I should acquiesce, and proceed sophisticatedly hence." She grinned at his slightly nonplussed expression. Ginny pushed past his lean frame, audibly saying on her way past "And I don't think I'm the one that has done the biting…"

# # #

"But he didn't touch you?" Ron re-affirmed

"No," replied Ginny for what felt the sixtieth time that evening " he didn't lay a finger on me."

"Good." said Ron. There was a lengthy pause. "Not at all?"

"NO. He STILL didn't touch me," Ginny answered again getting slightly more high-pitched, "now much as I love the certain quality of circular conversations you offer, I think I need to go do something productive. Like watch paint dry." With that she gave a perceptible "Humph" and walked away from Ron, muttering.

Ginny sat on her bed, and swung her legs around so they were propped against one side of the lavender walls. She stared out of the small window that was in her room and admired the azure sky. It was moments like this she could live for, times when she was just her, no fronts, walls or barriers, she could think, analyse and daydream to her hearts content.

She had told the 'golden triplet' of her run-in with Draco, and had, of course, received the stereotypical reactions. Absent, indifferent interest from Harry who had merely shrugged and said that Ginny should have stayed with them (_well, duh!_), she got slightly-over the top brotherly concern from Ron and had suffered beneath the shrewd, knowing gaze of Hermione. In many ways she wished she'd never told them, because it hadn't done her any good and had simply given them one more thing to whisper about. Ginny was mentally aware that all three cared for her, as she did for them, they just had mixed-up ways of showing it. Emotionally however, she often felt excluded and ostracised form their elite group and sometimes felt as though if she dropped off the face of the planet tomorrow, they would barely bat an eyelid.

Ginny scowled at the ceiling. Speaking of CARING, at 'sweet' sixteen the one thing that laid most heavily on her mind (and heart) was that she'd never been kissed! (A boyfriend also conspicuously absent.) It was a secret she held close to her heart, and everyday she was acutely aware that people of her own age were doing plenty more than just kissing. It was everywhere, newspapers, witch's wireless but she came into contact with it most in 'Secure Allure' (a popular teenage witch magazine); conquests and achievements were splayed constantly across page after page. _And yet poor widdle Ginny Weasley hasn't even been within range of any boy's lips, let alone anything else!_ She reminded herself self-depreciatingly. Sighing, Ginny studied her legs balanced against the slightly detaching wallpaper and wondered once again what other people thought of her. _ I mean there HAS to be something wrong, when nobody has ever shown even a smidgen of interest in me. Ever!_ Came the negatively demoralising thought from the self-esteem destroyer than every teenager and young person possesses.

Shaking herself out of that depressing and ultimately circular train of thought, Ginny rested her head back on the bed cover, unaware of how her vivid hair clashed almost painfully with the tawdry pink hearts, before fluttering her full lashes closed. For the time being she was simply content to enjoy the light breeze from her bedroom window on her face and lay her hearts turmoil to rest, _after all, who knew what the future would bring?_

# # #

Disclaimer: STILL own nothing. Well, nothing recognisable anyway. 


	3. Glitch in the System

Chapter 2 – Glitch in the System 

Rain cascaded down the train windows, droplets racing and merging hypnotically. Draco watched them absently, noticing how they cast a surreal, grey reflection across the compartment. The weather perfectly matched his disposition; bored and oppressive. _But not soppy_ Draco thought. He smiled (well, more grimaced actually) at the thought of people viewing him as soppy.

Draco's stature and manner were all solid ice, even his face looked as though it had been chipped from stone. Rarely, if ever, did he show any emotion other than contempt. Inside though he was not so different from any other teenage youth, he wondered about the world, he has aspirations, dreams, dislikes and distrust, but had long since learnt that to survive in the environment he was moulded for he must appear to be objective and uncaring at all times.

His focus shifted away from the window to the door, noticing how curls of paint had flaked off, defining intricate patterns on the surface. He often wished that someone, anyone, would have the courage to walk through that door, but Draco knew that his reputation preceded him. The word had already been spread by the younger years and his own minions that Draco Malfoy was a Very Bad Person, and was mean to first years, so he was left in peace.

He wondered briefly what it would be like to be seen and treated differently, like an equal, like a… friend. But quickly dismissed the idea as inane and ridiculous. Malfoys were not for equality, they didn't just believe in purity of the blood; they LIVED it. Long ago, the belief in the superiority of blood purity stemmed not from arrogance but instead from the simple fact that those bred from muggles were perceived to be weaker witches and wizards than those who were 'pure'.

In the modern order of things, however, the majority of the magical folk accepted that those of muggle heritage had as much (and occasionally even more!) magical talent as those who are pureblood. _Or at least the majority did until Voldemort publicised his grudge and poisoned people's minds. _Draco eyed the swiftly changing scenery outside the window again, absently noting that they would be arriving at Hogwarts in the not-too-distant future.

Without prior warning the door burst open, and a mini red-haired whirlwind blew in, slamming the door unceremoniously behind her. The girl – who he recognised as the diminutive Weasley herself – flung herself at the other end of the compartment, muttering fervently. Draco managed to catch a few audible words and felt his cheeks become slightly warm. She was very… colourful.

The thing that surprised him most though was that she wasn't even pretending to ignore him; she genuinely had no idea he was there. _Obviously just because she's so irritated _he assured his ego. Fixing his face to its normal warmth (i.e. making the arctic seem semi-tropical) he glared at her. Where normal people would become a dithering wreck he was bewildered to find she STILL hadn't passed so much as a glance in his direction. Draco watched the smallest Weasley curiously, remembering their brush with each other on Retorick Alley, and once again felt the surprise that she hadn't dissolved into mass hysteria right in front of him.

Draco had very few experiences of the mini weasel on her own, though whilst facing off against Potter and co. she was easily overlooked, even so far as to say she blended into the background. But she certainly didn't sound like any shrinking violet right now – wishing every manner of violent and painful death on someone who had obviously annoyed her.

In one glance he took in the shabby robe, stained, second-hand tie and the scuffed shoes. But on a second perusal, more became evident than just the glaringly obvious. In many ways, Ginny Weasley appeared to be bursting with life and spirit. _Well at least she is when she thinks nobody's watching _Draco observed.

Unexpectedly Draco found himself glaring into unlimited green-rimmed depths. The sudden contact with her startled him, and her, apparently. Almost visibly the slight girl pulled into herself, the previously almost crackling anger seemingly absorbed by her small frame. Draco watched, fascinated. Before him now sat an average, timid girl, with none of the tangible energy she had a second ago.

# # #

Ginny watched Draco nervously, waiting for him to say something. How much had he heard? Would he tell her brother? She bit her lip anxiously, unsure of what to say herself or how to act. After making such a spectacle of herself, Ginny personally considered running away to be a good option. However her pride wouldn't let her, instead she sat stiffly back in the seat and tried very hard to ignore his impassive glare.

Her jaw set again as she remembered back to what had just happened. Ginny had been sitting with the Trio, Neville, Colin and Dennis in a compartment further down the train. She had been ignored, as usual, but had been fine with it because she was reading her book and didn't want to be disturbed anyway.

Ron had then abruptly told her that he'd seen 'that pervy Ravenclaw Croft leering at you, I don't want you to ever go near him.' And had just _expected_ to be obeyed. Like she was a dog or something. Ginny snorted contemptuously, of course being the muted person she was, Ginny hadn't spoken out.

She'd just run away.

She _ran away. _To be honest that what was annoying her the most; that she couldn't even tell her brother to mind his own business! She glared at her book (Little Women – a muggle book) and on some subconscious level observed it was upside-down. How dare he just tell her off like that, in front of his and her friends! And why couldn't she just find the courage to tell him to sod off?! Ginny very much doubted that Peter Croft had so much as glanced at her, and if he had it couldn't have been anything more than curiosity. _Could it?_

"Sometimes it's harder to stand up to friends than it is enemies" Draco's affected tone cut through her reverie like a knife. Ginny's eyes flickered to look at him and found that he wasn't even watching her.

"Piss off Malfoy" _he was right!_ _It was definitely easier to tell him where to get off than it was my brother. _Ginny watched him smirk, as though he guessed her thoughts. Not stopping to ponder theimplication of this though, she instead turned her attention to her book, finally noticing that it was not the right way up.

Without warning the train screeched to a sudden halt. Along the train Ginny heard trunks tumbling from where they had been stowed and familiars squawking, screeching and mewing in indignance. Ginny herself was thrown to the other side of the compartment, coming to rest next to Draco's fashionably-clad left elbow. She lifted her gaze to his face but found his features were inscrutable as he stared past her at the door.

# # #

Ron glanced around the carriage, making a mental inventory that everyone was ok and unhurt. He wondered again to where Ginny had vanished. Although he was generally held as a good-hearted guy but with very little academic intelligence, he knew his little sister well enough to recognize that he had pissed her off. He hadn't meant to, he just wanted to make her aware of the world around her. He regretted being blunt, but it was just how he was.

"What do you think has happened?" Hermione asked the room at large.

Dennis, Colin and Neville simply shrugged and returned to their rather noisy game of exploding snap.

So noisy in fact, that they all missed the first scream.

"No idea - " Harry started, but was cut-off midway by the second blood-curdling scream. It lasted longer than the first, seeming to ricochet along the train. When the scream had faded complete silence reigned, even the animals were deceptively stunned into silence.

Then things became chilling.

More screams reverberated through the train, as if chorused together, and became increasingly painful to listen to. Ron clamped his hands firmly over his ears and glanced around the compartment seeing everyone else in similar positions. _Where WAS Ginny? And what on earth was happening?!_

Hermione mouthed something at him. He frowned in confusion, and she mouthed it again.

_Banshees._

# # #

Ginny moaned in pain.

There were voices. Voices _in_ her head. _The cheek of it_ she thought, irritated. She couldn't make any sense of them anyway; they were just causing massively painful confusion.

After what seemed an eon, one voice eventually stood out from the others. In Ginny's conscious it sounded almost like hissing, but for some reason not malevolent.

_Come, my child, we are here to collect you. You are ours._

# # #

Draco watched the youngest Weasley moan and spasm in her seat, completely at a loss as what to do.

Without warning, her eyes snapped open, and for the second time in one day he found himself directly looking into overwhelming emotion.

_She was terrified._

"They're coming for me." She whispered to no one in particular, her eyes darting around the compartment as though expecting an attack at any moment.

_At least the screaming has stopped_ he thought. But somehow the echoing silence seemed even worse. Suddenly Draco came aware of scratching down the window, like nails drawn across a blackboard. His eyes ticked to the window, discerning silhouettes merging and flitting in the gathering darkness.

The girl next to him was backing slowly away along the seat as though she was scared to the point of not being able to move. Once again Draco was uncertain what to do. Banshees… what could he remember about banshees?

_I could make a potion that would repel them; I could repeat where they are found and why they exist_… but none of what he knew was knowledge he could apply! _ I know that banshees mix the blood of their victims, their tears can heal like phoenix's, they have no eyes so track by aura colour… but NOTHING to help me now._

_Aura colour… _Draco looked at the girl huddled at the end of the seat _it might just work._

If the banshees really were after her, she would need all the help he could give. The chances were that the rest of the train was still in shock from the screams so would be of no use. _The first hearing is always the worst _he reflected. He moved to the Weasley girl, hardly believing he was actually going to do this. _I must be mad. I scarcely know this girl… yet I am willing to save her life. How the mighty have fallen._

Along the train windows blew open billowing freezing air towards the already dazed students. Draco heard this and knew that time was running out, both for Ginny, and now him.

"Open your eyes." Draco told her softly, commandingly.

# # #

Ginny opened her eyes, to find Draco (_Malfoy _she corrected herself) far too close for comfort. _Like that's the most important thing on my mind_.

She was freezing, but from the inside out, Ginny felt like someone had touched her heart with frost, and was slowly enveloping her body with ice. There was power, _oh yes. _Power like only Tom Riddle had ever shown her. _ But in the same way as back then, the power's artificial _this she knew, but she couldn't stop it from taking her body bit by agonizing bit.

Ginny focused back on Draco finding his eyes searching hers, probing deeper, as if finding her soul. Unexpectedly she felt warmth course through her. Like a safety blanket had been thrown around her. _Something to do with Draco… _was her final thought before passing into the depths of a dreamless faint.

A/N: Ok, third part done... any good? Feedback much appreciated. Criticisms too!  
Disclaimer: Still own nothing. 


	4. Parody of a Dream

Authors Note: Hello readers! Or well, i assume that's plural (well actually i'm just hoping REALLY hard) although i have only heard from one of you - big thank you to Vipera-Veneficus, my one (and only, sniff) reviewer. Please, please review, even if its only to say the equivalent of "ach, you call that writing?!"  
  
Ok, enough of the mindless babble. Hope you enjoy the chapter!  
  
Disclaimer: Pretty much everything belongs to J.K Rowling, except Persephone who's mine :)  
  
Chapter 3 – Parody of a Dream 

Ginny woke to bright light. Blindingly bright. And a headache to end all headaches.

A pulse was beating against her brain, and she had a strange awareness of something she'd never had before.

Or rather, it felt like something that had always been there; she'd just never noticed it. But it (whatever 'it' was) had been drawn into sharp relief and could actually feel another being beside herself functioning and _living._ Or maybe it was just her imagination…

Ginny stretched languorously, becoming aware that she was in the hospital wing, and the brightness was the light from the ceiling-high windows reflecting off the hanging drapes. _Hang on… hospital wing? How did I get here?_

Gradually, the events of the recent past drifted back, albeit in a rather bewildering order. Ginny remembered seeing red after Ron's 'orders' and ending up in the same compartment as Draco Malfoy – the dragon's den itself! (She seemed to be running into him a lot lately…). Then her memories seemed to break down into lots of screaming, (_screaming?) _and coldness. Then Draco DID something, and she just remembered warmth and comforting darkness. _ What did he do to me? Why do I feel so… complicated?_ Ginny scoffed _like I wasn't complicated enough by myself!_

Any further perusal of recent happenings was abruptly cut off though, as the hospital wing door flew open bouncing loudly off the wall. Ginny winced, sound; not a good occurrence for her headache.

Suddenly, Ron was next to her bedside speaking a hundred miles an hour (_and very loudly too_), his manner coloured with repentance and nervousness.

"I'mreallysorryGinny," he took a deep breath "Ididn'tmeantoannoyyousomuch. Please will you forgive me?"

Ginny imagined she had a slightly perplexed expression on her face, but Ron didn't offer any extra explanation, so she just nodded. Ron sighed, his body visibly relaxing.

"Why with all the apologies and remorse though?" Ginny inquired, watching his features carefully.

Ron studied his hands before answering, "I was so worried Gin, when they brought you in you were barely breathing! You were so pale." he paused, bringing his eyes up to meet hers. "Nobody knows why you were unconscious, Madam Pomfrey couldn't find anything wrong with you…" he watched her, and waited for a reply.

_What do I tell him? I heard voices… yeah that will go down well after what happened with the chamber of secrets! That Malfoy DID something to me and I don't know what? Oh yes that would be the equivalent of earning Draco a broken nose… okay, eurgh, should using my brain be this painful?_

"I remember… tripping, I think, when the train stopped," Ginny invented, thinking quickly on her feet (or, well, backside) "and I must have banged my head on…" _Oh no! I don't know where they found me! _"the… floor…" she finished, sounding rather lame even to herself. But Ron seemed to buy it. _Wonders would never cease._

"So you didn't hear the screaming?" he commented, seeming relieved.

_Screaming, how could I forget?! _She thought, but instead said, "No, there was screaming? Who was screaming?" she observed his facial expression carefully, if he thought she was pumping him for information, he would become suspicious.

"Hermione said it was _banshees,"_ he scoffed "but after the screaming stopped, which didn't take very long, the train just started moving again." Ron saw the colour draining from her face, and interpreted it as terror (but for the wrong reason) "But don't worry, it was obviously just someone's idea of a practical joke" he added hurriedly.

At that particular moment Madam Pomfrey bustled out of her office, and over to Ginny. "Lets have a look at you my dear," she said, peering into each eye "open your mouth, say 'ahhh'" she ordered, Ginny complied. Apparently finding everything is working order, she asked Ginny if she felt well, or whether anything was hurting.

"My head," replied Ginny "do you have any painkiller potions please?"

Madam Pomfrey nodded, and then gave her one last look-over before proceeding back to her office to retrieve the potion.

Ginny looked up at Ron who was glaring at his watch that had evidently stopped. He shook his head, muttering, before turning to her.

"Well Gin-gin, I best be getting back to the main hall, I only came to check that you were ok. Harry and Hermione would have come too, but they got called away by professor McGonagall." He gave her a chaste kiss on the forehead, before turning to leave.

"Oh! I almost forgot," he rustled around in his pocket before bringing out a rather tattered bit of paper "here's your timetable. Sorry about the state it's in." he threw her a cheesy grin over his shoulder as he left – not looking sorry at all.

Ginny rolled her eyes, and turned her attention to her timetable. Great, double divination in just less than half an hour, and double potions to round up the day. This term was getting better and better.

# # #

Hermione watched Ron come through the doors to the great hall, his red hair, lanky figure and lengthy gait immediately distinguishing him from the students surrounding him. He plopped himself down opposite her and next to Dean Thomas.

"How was Ginny?" asked Harry, beating Hermione to the metaphorical punch.

"She was ok, has quite a bad headache but otherwise completely fine" replied Ron entirely unaware quite how wrong he really was. "What did McGonagall have to say?" he asked them both, simultaneously piling his plate high with toast and baked beans.

Hermione watched the tilting pile dubiously before replying, "Well she wanted to update me on my head girl duties," at this Hermione unconsciously fingered the badge on her chest, "and told Harry that after a lot of thought he AND you were going to be quidditch captain of Gryffindor." She shared a look with Harry, which Ron didn't notice. He gave a grunt of agreement, before reaching for the chocolate sauce.

Ron suddenly jerked his head up to look at them. _Slight delayed reaction _Hermione thought fondly.

"Hang on, I think I misheard… say it again?"

Harry smiled, "We're joint team captains, mate."

"Really? Are you serious? But… why? How? Since when?" Ron spluttered, whilst trying to chew and swallow at the same time.

_Not such a good look _she observed. She turned to Harry; this after all, was his doing. _As long as Ron doesn't suspect anything amiss. Yet._

Harry explained that as this was their NEWTs year, Professor McGonagall thought that Gryffindor would benefit from having two team captains, and Ron and Harry would be able to do their NEWTs at the same time. Hermione could tell from Harry's occasionally gritted teeth that he hated lying to Ron, _he can't know for his own good._

Ron on the other hand seemed not only oblivious but completely over the moon and had launched into a very loud rendition of team tactics, practises and tryouts. Most of which Hermione tuned out, her mind still on the grave news the professor had imparted to her and Harry. _It was going to be the most eventful year on record yet. And lucky me, I get to head the school._

# # #

Draco scowled at the room at large. The sixth years were so useless. He was rather surprised that Snape hadn't just caved and given them all detention. _He seems to be in quite a good mood _observed Draco as the potions master snapped out another 15 points lost for Gryffindor.

_Ah, the Weasley has put too much Formorian liver in. That won't go down well._ Sure enough, Snape barked out another 10-point loss to Gryffindor. _They'll be on minus numbers soon_ mocked Draco _like to see golden boy bounce back from that._

Draco was acting as the Potions Apprentice for the rest of the year to gain extra credit for his NEWTs. _Potions apprentice… more like unpaid babysitter._

Snape had laid into Weasley again, and Draco found he could actually feel her embarrassment and indignance. He had been expecting this since the train ride yesterday. But he hadn't expected her to feel quite so much at any one time. It was like tapping into a power source and being immersed in emotion. Fairly disorientating after a while, especially when he hadn't been able to sleep the night before and had felt the richness and intensity of her dreams.

In the harsh light of day he knew that what he'd done the day before had been foolish and unwise, and he would now have to face the consequences. One of which was have her watch him consistently with a questioning look on her face. Of course she would want to know what had happened, and eventually she would. But right now he had to work out what kind of danger she (and therefore him as well) was in.

# # #

Ginny smiled shyly at the girl before her.

"I'll leave you two to get to know each other," said Hermione brusquely "call me if you need anything." With that she exited the sixth year girl's dorm with a flourish.

Ginny watched her go, before focusing on the girl in front of her. Once again Ginny cursed that she had missed the sorting – this would have been so much easier! The new Gryffindor sixth year watched Ginny just as curiously as Ginny did her.

The girl facing Ginny was small of stature, with short, glossy black hair and frightened liquid blue eyes. She twirled her hands anxiously in her lap, and wouldn't meet Ginny's gaze straight on.

"Hi," started Ginny, holding out her hand formally "I'm Ginevra Weasley. But most people call me Ginny" she added.

The girl took her hand and gave it a brief but strangely confident squeeze "My name's Persephone Nixen" her voice had a rich quality to it, almost musical.

Ginny smiled, awkwardly. _What do I say now?_

"So, er, where do you come from?" Ginny asked politely.

"I lived in Wales with my mother and father," she replied timidly "but they were both killed in a deatheater raid." Persephone looked sharply away, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

Ginny's heart went out to her, "I'm so sorry," she exclaimed sincerely "you're safe here though." The girl smiled thankfully back at her.

"What lessons do you have tomorrow?" Ginny inquired, more at ease now that she at least knew the first thing about this girl. She didn't notice dark shadows flitting back and forth on the castle grounds.

# # #

The evening rolled in, and Draco sat on the balcony of his private room revelling in the feeling of being so high and free. He watched the stars twinkle and disappear as darkened clouds scudded swiftly across them. Elsewhere in the castle he felt Ginny's happiness, but he blocked it out – happiness was a foreign concept to him. _Also rather irritating._

The wind blew chill against the castle walls, slinking through cracks and freezing stone. Draco felt the change in the temperature in his bones; winter would soon enclose Hogwarts in its icy grip.

Uncaring though he was (except for himself) Draco now imagined how Harry felt, to have a life depend on him. _And for me to have to depend on someone else… _if someone had told him that a month ago he would have laughed in his or her face. But now, his fate was irrevocably tied to another's and he wasn't sure what to do about it. There was no counter charm for the ancient magic he'd evoked, _all for a stupid moment of benevolence, where I found I couldn't let someone die in front of me. _

He wished he knew why the creatures of the dark hunted the youngest Weasley, but he feared that the answer was one that would be revealed soon enough. _Except I'm in as much danger as she now. I'm in deep shit with a Weasley. A **Weasley **of all people! _He spat off the edge of the tower.

Draco continued to watch the stars spin in their endless pursuit, and lay witness when the first scream echoed out of the forbidden forest, and was answered by a second. And a third. And so the days of darkness and glory were heralded.


	5. Watch this Space

Authors Note: A ha! Fourth chapter, hope you enjoy it!  
  
Thank you to Lady-Nimoe, review much appreciated :) (and you will just have to wait and see whether Ginny gets guts or glory. cheesy grin)   
  
Chapter 4 – Watch this Space 

Ginny watched Harry absently. She had become so accustomed to being aware of where he was all the time that she did it without realising. He, Ron and Hermione sat comfortably together, talking, whispering and bantering playfully with one another. _Almost as if they haven't experienced all the evil they've witnessed._

Her mind, on the other hand, was on someone else altogether. Draco Malfoy haunted her every step.

She had so many unanswered questions that she thought she might just burst. Mentally Ginny knew she had to confront him and ask what had _happened._ But how to start a conversation with someone who barely cared she existed? At least Harry had seen her as a friend, or at very lest a substitute little sister, Draco probably didn't even know her name. _And how would I start the conversation? 'Hi, I know you're disgusted to talk to me right now. I know because I can **feel** it!' _

"Dammit" she muttered.

"Talking to yourself little 'un?" asked Seamus' warm Scottish burr from her left.

Ginny looked up, startled. His kindly brown eyes peered into hers. She was a little shocked that he'd bothered to talk to her. Few people did. Except Persephone of course.

"Just thinking" Ginny hurriedly replied, refusing to look at him straight on. She watched the flickering firelight interestedly.

There was a rather pregnant pause.

"Well…" Seamus appeared uncomfortable, and fidgeted anxiously, "Dean and I were wondering…" he tailed off and fiddled with his shirt.

"Yes?" Ginny prompted. _What can they want? Merlin, what if it's boyfriend related?! And I didn't brush my hair properly this morning either! I must look a state. Not to mention a nervous wreck. Where's Persephone when you need support!_

"Like, if you and Persephone wanted to accompany us to Hogsmeade next weekend…?"

Ginny gasped inaudibly, _holy crap, what do I say now?!_

"Uh, well, I'dhavetotalktopersephoneaboutitfirst!" she said very fast, mumbling into her collar slightly.

Seamus nodded in agreement, but didn't seem prepared to go anywhere away from her. Ginny threw him a swift smile before muttering about homework and bolted out of the common room as inconspicuously as possible.

Once in her dormitory, she threw herself down on her bed.

"You alright Gin?" asked Persephone's musical voice.

Ginny started for the second time that night. There didn't _appear_ to be anyone in the room.

"Perse, where the hell are you?!"

Persephone appeared from beneath the bed adjacent to Ginny's own. At Ginny's questioning look she explained that she'd lost her watch.

"Underneath the bed?" inquired Ginny, dubiously.

"Well it never hurts to look everywhere," replied Perse "it's always in the last place you look."

"That's because when you find it, you stop looking," retorted Ginny "besides, don't distract me! I have something to tell you."

She quickly related what Seamus had told her, before falling back on the bed to gauge Perse's reaction.

Perse in return eyed her shrewdly; "Seamus and Dean have been after Lavender and Pavati for ages…"

"Yes," agreed Ginny quickly "practically since they worked out what girls were!"

Persephone nodded "and didn't Lavender say that she was going with that Hufflepuff Matt yesterday?"

Ginny understood her train of thought almost immediately and almost visibly she deflated.

"I guess we should say 'no' then?" _don't want to get on the wrong side of Lavender and Pavati, then can be right bitchy when the mood takes them._

Persephone nodded, but sat up so she was on Ginny's level, "Do not fret your young heart, Hogsmeade is not safe, foreign spirits walk the streets. The trip will be the least of events soon enough." Her voice sounded strange, almost hoarse.

Ginny jerked her head up to look at Perse' face; her pupils were largely dilated, making her look both strangely beautiful and deadly, her features also appeared to belong to someone older and more weathered than Persephone's tender 16 years. As quickly as it was there, the tangible magic vanished again and Ginny once more wondered about Persephone's past. If Perse caught the look of faint fear on Ginny's face, she didn't mention it. Instead opted to stand up from the bed and walk to the floor-to-ceiling mirror in their dormitory.

Following curiously, Ginny went to stand beside Persephone, studying their reflections Ginny recognised that they were both very alike in many ways; both of them noticed things that many other people never would (_or could),_ they both preferred their own company but by far the most important similarity was that they both had mixed-up pasts. Ginny occasionally saw a darkness in Persephone like her own, a darkness that came from being touched by great evil.

Persephone turned to her, and Ginny once again noticed the strange look in her eye.

"You have great power inside you," whispered Perse taking her by the shoulders, "we all do, that's why were here. Some people just never learn to unlock it."

_Some merely have greater power than others_ thought Ginny, but kept it to herself.

# # #

Draco woke suddenly, gasping for breath. After a moments pause to catch his breath, he untangled his left arm from the knotted covers and examined his forearm uneasily. _Clear, unmarked, just a dream…_ sighing with relief he sank back into the protection the sheets offered from the autumnal chill.

He felt Ginny toss and turn in her own bed for her dreams were troubled too. He closed his eyes and found that he could almost see what she was envisaging; it was so clear and untainted... Without warning he felt himself being sucked into the vision, the feeling was comparable to what he imagined it would feel like to fall off one of Hogwarts towers, and although he wouldn't admit it, it was terrifying.

Draco landed unceremoniously in a grim-looking graveyard. Dark clouds, rumbled and rolled overheard, threatening rain. He felt his pulse quicken as he looked around him, in every direction, as far as they eye could see, there were graves. Some large, some simple, but all proclaiming the deaths of a witch or wizard who had fallen, never to rise again.

_It's only a dream, it's only a dream_ he repeated to himself over and over. He turned finding that everything was drawn sharply, like real life, and he was beginning to become aware that this wasn't just a normal dream. For one, he could feel the wind on his face and heard the rustling in the grass; Ginny wasn't capable of creating a world as diverse as this purely for a dream.

Directly behind him he heard pitiful sobbing, he turned again to find a young woman dressed entirely in black kneeling to face an intricate tombstone. He was certain she hadn't been there a second ago, but was still instantly recognisable as Ginny herself, the red hair spilling over her shoulders enticingly.

"Weasley" he said sharply, trying to get her attention. She glanced up at him without recognition in her eyes.

"They died for me," she told him, her eyes shining with agony "I couldn't stop them, and now they're gone forever." She returned to the gravestone, and began caressing it gently with her hands, finally Draco was able to read it.

'Here lie the treasured and much-loved Weasleys, may they rest in peace until the last'

"They forgot me," Ginny sobbed, "they left me behind."

Draco couldn't take anymore, he felt the frost in his heart begin to thaw, and that would be his downfall.

"Come Weasley," he said sharply, holding her shoulder tightly, "we're going back to Hogwarts." _Dumbledore, if you can hear me, take us back please. From wherever we are._

# # #

Draco's mind frequently went back to the happenings of the morning throughout the day.

_How can a girl that tiny have enough power to create an entire **world **in her dreams? Either she's incredibly powerful, or there's more here at play. Let's not forget that she seems to have banshees following her, and is inseparable from that welsh witch with the weird eyes._

_There is definitely something strange about the diminutive Weasley. Think it's high time we had a little chat._

Blaise Zabini abruptly sat on the chair opposite to Draco and rudely interrupted his thoughts. Blaise was probably the only person in Hogwarts that Draco would ever trust, and even then it was very limited. _I'm just not a trusting person._ And of course the only person in Hogwarts who he wouldn't burn for interrupting his train of reflection.

"Problem, Zabini?" Draco said with infallible coolness. He did not like to have his thoughts sporadically disturbed at all.

"No." replied Zabini with an equally forbidding tone.

_Girl troubles _interpreted Draco correctly.

"Which one are you after now?" asked Draco tiredly

Blaise didn't bother feigning surprise, instead run his fingers jadedly through his hair making the darkened locks stick out at random angles. Draco eyed it distastefully. Blaise had a reputation for having every imaginable girl after him – even one or two Gryffindors. But he only wanted the ones who wouldn't give him the time of day. Last year he went after Luna Lovegood, she barely knew he existed. _Well actually she barely knew boys in general existed_ corrected Draco.

Yet Blaise still didn't answer. Draco internally became quite interested, _it has to be a good one, else he would have told me already,_ externally though his expression remained as disinterested as ever, although Blaise was not deterred.

"She seemed scared of me," he said confusedly "when I tried to talk to her, she ran away."

Draco smirked in amusement, which was the equivalent of anyone else bursting into hysterical laughter, "well, maybe you should do something with the hair" he replied arching an eyebrow derisively.

Blaise completely ignored Draco's jibe (_which is probably why he's the only person I get on with_ Draco contemplated_)_ and continued, "But she's very pretty, even you would have to admit she's pretty."

Mentally Draco eliminated possibilities; none of Slytherin was openly scared of Blaise, Hufflepuffs were out of the question, "Ravenclaw?" he asked

Blaise shook his head and pursed his lips in irritation; "You know me better than anyone," _which wasn't saying a lot to be honest _Draco thought reflectively, "you know the type I'd go for."

Draco nodded. He just hoped it wasn't Granger.

Before he could find out anything more however Blaise disappeared up the staircase, the conversation apparently over. Draco was left to his thoughts on the youngest Weasley instead, and his intriguing discoveries about her in the past week.

# # #

Albus Dumbledore waited patiently in his office, waiting for the knock that would soon come.

Regret and worry lines crossed his face, most of which he'd got since Harry Potter came to Hogwarts. Harry Potter and his young friends, as well as his supposed enemies, each as special as the other, they would all play their part.

He knew that war would soon rip its way through the north of England, and would slowly come further and further south. He also knew in his heart of hearts that his beloved Hogwarts would have to weather a significant storm and that life would be hellishly difficult for the staff and the students.

Albus recognized that tonight the ball had started rolling and Hogwarts was exceedingly important to the balance that the war would take.

_United we stand, divided we will fall…_


	6. Problems in Paradise

A/n: Hello my lovely loyal readers! Thank you so much for all you reviews i was practically skipping with happiness!

Big thanks to ginny2442, Spiritsha Master, ToConfused247, coolwhip2005, Ally, Emma Burrows and Dark Promise! This chapters slightly longer than previous ones so i hope you like it :)

Chapter 5 – Problems in Paradise 

_Just because I don't say anything, don't think I have nothing to say._

The thought caught Ginny by surprise; she wasn't entirely sure where it had come from. One minute she was appraising just how few colours actually went with her hair, the next she was thrown in the deep end of 'profound thoughts'.

She supposed it was true, there were many things that she wished she had said and never had the courage to, and many people (i.e. her brother) seemed to be under the impression that she didn't actually possess a personality. Which of course was entirely untrue, she just didn't flaunt it as others did.

Ginny looked at her divination homework in annoyance, who really wanted to know whether the sun held aspect to Pluto and whether this had any bearing on the Grindelwald years (otherwise know as the Dark Years) anyway? _Much more interesting things to think about!_

Persephone abruptly thudded down next to Ginny, a teetering pile of books plonked unsteadily on the table. Ginny looked askance at her, and Perse gestured for her to read the titles. Looking closer, she read 'Banshees and their Origins: an all you need to survive guide', 'Life saving acts and what to do about them' and the memorable '100 Favourite Recipes for your favourite Faery'.

Unfortunately Ginny's breath swayed the tower dangerously and Ginny and Persephone only just succeeded in catching the books before they cascaded over the floor. This caused a slight raucous that drew curious stares from the rest of the common room. Ginny smiled embarrassedly and quickly buried her glowing face in the nearest book (which coincidentally turned out to be 'How to spot Banshees and other Little Folk: the comprehensive guide.')

"More fun than divination homework eh Gin?" asked Perse an amused grin on her face, Ginny smiled back and relaxed into herself, _its not like anyone paid any attention anyway._

After a couple of hours of intent reading and scribbling, the common room had emptied entirely except for them. Persephone and Ginny now had a good understanding of banshees and the lore surrounding them. They had learnt that a banshee, also known as a Sidhe, was a variety of faerie and generally followed the old families, wailing before a death. When more than one banshee was present they would wail and scream in chorus, but it usually signified the death of a holy, or great one.

"So what happened that night on the train?" Ginny asked, voicing her thoughts out loud, "Why did they come after me?"

Perse shook her head thoughtfully, "I wish I'd been there! I could have helped or something, or at least shielded you."

Ginny smiled at her friend's protectiveness, it felt nice to be properly cared for by someone other than her family. _But how would she have helped? _Ginny asked herself internally; with Persephone it could be any number of unpredictable feats.

In answer to her friends statement though she shook her head, "Don't worry about it. Besides, Malfoy was there to save me. Although I wish I KNEW what he did…" she trailed off in frustration.

"It has to have been something pretty spectacular to stop the banshees from claiming you as theirs, it looks like they are pretty unstoppable." Perse replied, appearing to mentally be turning it over.

"Why were there so many of them though? I heard them all… in my head," Ginny looked away remembering the train journey vividly, "they were freezing me from the inside out." She shook her head, shivering unconsciously.

Persephone smiled grimly, an expression of resolution passing firmly across her features, "No fear Gin, we'll work this out. First though I think its definitely time for bed," she passed a look at the grandfather clock that seemed to have broken at a little time past the twelve, "and tomorrow I think it's time for you to talk to Malfoy."

Ginny nodded in agreement, collecting the confused mass of books haphazardly, hoping that her divination homework was still all in one piece. Arm in arm they left the empty common room, climbing the winding stair.

Behind them they heard the clock chime, but were so caught up in their separate thoughts that they didn't catch the thirteenth toll.

# # #

Draco paced restlessly. The balance was tipping, he could feel it. _Not Voldemort, he's away north, with my father, wreaking havoc on innocent people _Draco spat on the courtyard ground _So what is it? The feeling of eyes on my back… the feeling that I'm not alone. Something foreign is at Hogwarts. And I don't think it's friendly._

He spun nervously, thinking that he heard a noise but his only answer was the wind whistling through the branches of the ancient, knarled oak tree. In the daytime it was a jovial place, the aged tree casting shade for the students from the humid sun in the summer, and providing a place to climb and play for the younger years. At night though it was sinister, unhappy whisperings flew along the corridors of Hogwarts, and echoed in the courtyard; the foliage rustled with concealed life that added oppressive uncertainty.

"Jumpy much, Draco?" inquired a voice from behind him.

Draco schooled his features and stature to disinterest, recognising the voice instantly. He didn't turn to greet the newcomer, instead opting to watch the trees limbs twist and bob in the wind.

Pansy moved to being directly in front on Draco, "Something on your mind love?" she queried, coldly.

"Nothing of your concern." Replied Draco shortly, "Haven't you got lives to make a misery of a trouble to stir?" he inquired, his tone matching hers, frost for frost.

"Probably," she all but purred "but things are changing my love, the balance is shifting, can't you feel it?" she smiled twirling around in a tight circle in front of him; with her black robes sweeping the floor and the moonlight glinting off her blonde hair she looked every part the seductress, _and the malevolent woman that she really is._

Draco walked past her, "I have no time for your speculation Pansy, Dumbledore has Hogwarts beneath his thumb," _thankfully_ he mentally added "and Voldemort is miles up north gathering support and terror. Nothing can or will touch us here." _Thank Merlin I had learnt to lie flawlessly by the time I could speak._

"Draco," she called commandingly from behind him. He stopped walking. "the lines between good and evil are easily blurred, don't forget that power has no perimeter."

He turned to look at her; she stood defiantly, facing his gaze. To the outside she acted like a silly, foolish girl. But the truth was more malicious, she was a woman prepared to give up everything for as much power as she could gain, hence she was a deadly combination. _But still foolish _he ruminated _one day she will aim too high and will fall where no one can save her. _He turned and walked away, his strides long and sure as always.

"You underestimate me Draco," she whispered inaudibly at his departing figure, "you have no idea what I am capable of."

# # #

Harry faced the new D.A.D.A nervously. _Why do I always volunteer for things like this? Probably some kind of gene deficiency or something._

"Ok Harry," said the young professor placatingly, flipping a plait of brown hair over her shoulder, "I'm going to throw a curse at you, and you will have to use the shield charm we just practised. It won't be a very dangerous hex in case you don't manage the shield correctly." She laughed nervously, but her anxiety was given away by the continuous shifting of weight from one foot to the other.

"Ready Harry?" she asked.

He nodded, steeling himself, _just remember the charm _he reminded himself repeatedly.

"Petrificus Totalus!" cried Professor Morgian, aiming her wand at Harry's head.

"Defenamore!" bellowed Harry, thinking fixedly of flying with the Weasleys, and the bond and respect they shared with him. Immediately a red liquid-like substance oozed rapidly from his wand, forming a bubble-shaped protective layer around him. The purple hex bounced of it like a quaffle would, ricocheting off to make a nasty black-brown burn on the classroom wall.

"Very good Harry!" exclaimed the professor, "and a Gryffindor coloured bubble no less!" the rest of the Gryffindors in the class gave Harry a little cheer, at which Harry blushed slightly. "Right, everyone else, get into pairs and start practising, please don't throw any harmful spells!"

"How do I get rid of it?" Harry asked the professor.

"I'm sorry Harry I can't hear you," prompted Morgian "speak up!"

"HOW DO I GET OUT OF HERE?" Harry yelled, he was feeling rather claustrophobic.

"Finite Incantatem" said Hermione with a brisk wave of her wand, the bubble instantly vanished and Harry felt free to breathe again.

"Thanks Hermione" Harry smiled, not noticing the sudden look of anger and malice that crossed professor Morgians face.

By the end of the Dark Arts lesson, everyone had mastered the charm easily, and the majority had given up throwing hexes at each other, instead content to sit in their different coloured bubbles quite peaceably.

Harry watched Ron and Hermione converse, Hermione from her blue bubble and Ron from his yellow one. They were both so different he noted, that they clashed head to head to almost every topic they discussed. _How does their relationship survive? _he pondered _And yet it survives to flourish and shines through them in everything they do. _At that moment he was sucked into their mindless bantering as one of them had called him a rather rude name.

To the outside world it was obvious how their relationship survived, they were a flawless triangle, each as devoted to the other as the last.

# # #

Ginny sat despondently in her potions class; her and Persephone's potion had gone a rather bizarre purple colour and occasionally emitted tiny glistening bubbles. She watched Persephone gaily drop in a handful of Korred's fig at random, which turned the potion a rather gross browny-green colour and made it fizz and gurgle more than before. _At least it isn't emanating teeny-weeny bubbles any more _reflected Ginny, inattentively.

Persephone's idea of a potions lesson was to get all the ingredients, add them in a random amount and order and see what pretty colours she could make. Ginny rolled her eyes long-sufferingly.

A voice in her ear startled her, and she turned sharply to find Draco's face _very _close to hers. Widening her eyes in surprise she jerked her eyes back to Persephone who had noticed nothing amiss.

"Weasley, I think a little chat is long overdue," he smirked nastily, "and do tell your friend that if she puts any more Lob stones in, the potion will explode."

Ginny nodded, desperately trying to ignore his breath on her neck.

"Lets see, how about the Arithmancy classroom at about eight? Don't be late." With that he was gone. Ginny shivered, although she wasn't sure what from. _Maybe it's just cold in here._

# # #

Draco arrived arrogantly at the Arithmancy classroom at just over ten past eight. Ginny had been early so had sat on a nearby desk and swung her legs absent-mindedly.

Draco watched her before she noticed him, watched the way her features showed every conceivable emotion sometimes by nothing more than a flicker of an eyebrow. It was strange how until a couple of weeks ago he barely knew of her existence, and now they were woven together in the same web. To stay alive he would have to get to know her.

He could feel the pull between them but it was only the link. _That's all, just the link. Which I imagine I should actually explain that to her._

He cleared his thought drawing her attention immediately. She hopped off the desk and crossed her arms defensively across her chest meeting his eyes, finally, with a steady gaze of her own.

"Do you want to go first?" he inquired coldly.

She studied his features first before acknowledging what he said with a tip of her head.

"What did you do to me?" she asked, looking down at her feet, "Why did you save me? And how did you? Why do I always know where you are?" once she had unlocked the dam of questions it seemed difficult for her to stem the flow.

He held up a hand, silencing her, "One thing at a time," he admonished, "firstly I didn't DO anything to you, as you put it, I simply shielded you."

"People have shielded me before," she spat, "but I can't stand with a blindfold on and spin round ten times and point directly to where they are."

_She's actually TRIED that? _Draco's mouth quirked in amusement.

"No," he replied, "that's because no one shielded you the way I had to. And lets just take the time here to point out that I was saving my own life at the same time. I suppose you know that Banshees hunt by aura awareness?" he asked, quickly changing tact.

"Yes," she agreed, "they have sightless eyes. But what has that got to do with anything?" she brows knitting in confusion.

"The only way it was possible to stop the Banshees from getting to you was to alter your aura. I had to merge our auras together."

Ginny's eyes darkened, "But what does that mean?" she kneaded her forehead gingerly, _this is too much to take in_.

"Weasley, I thought you were smarter that this," he chided, "I took a bit of me, and I merged it with you, that way the banshees were confused and thought they had lost their prey. But don't worry I'm sure they will have worked it out by now."

"But…" Ginny started, "doesn't that mean that you're in trouble too?"

"Which brings me to my first question," Draco concurred, "tell me Weasley, what can you possibly have that feared creatures of the night would want?"

He paced towards her ominously, his tall frame towering over her slight one. She smiled nervously back.

"No idea," she replied quickly, "maybe they got the wrong person?"

Trying to maintain a seemingly airy attitude, she backed slowly away from Draco towards the door. Draco watched her, a foreign amused light dancing in his eyes.

"Got to go," she said hurriedly, "thanks for the answers!"

And with that she was gone, vanishing along the Hogwarts corridors silently with barely anything to show she had been with Draco at all except a faint whiff of strawberries.

He smiled to himself, _you won't get away that easily next time Weasley, besides I'm not done with my questions yet…_


	7. Hidden Depths

Hello my readers! Thank you all for being so patient, it takes a while for me to get my story rolling  
Big thanks go to Ally and ginny2442 for the reviews, hope you all enjoy this chapter and possibly (hint, hint, nudge, nudge) review :) Muchas Gracias! Now on with the show...   
  
Chapter 6 – Hidden Depths 

"So, explain it to me one more time, why did you run away from him?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Ginny shot back.

Perse and Ginny shared a look of amusement, they really were absurdly similar.

"Well, the reason I ran from Zabini was just because he's a complete weirdo, and I think anyone would have done the same in my situation," Persephone took a breath, "your turn!"

Ginny bit her lip broodingly.

"He wanted answers to questions I didn't know," she explained. Not meeting Persephone's shrewd gaze.

"Ok, and now the real reason…" Perse prompted. Ginny sighed long-sufferingly.

"I don't _know_ ok? He was getting too close and I felt uncomfortable." _Too close to what though? _she questioned herself thoughtfully.

Persephone nodded and let the subject drop for the time being. There was a moment's pause.

"He joined _auras_ with you," she marvelled once again, "that's pretty advanced magic that is. Pretty ancient too."

Ginny nodded in agreement, playing with her vivid hair. "Explains a lot though," she murmured, "like how I can tell you that right now he's writing an alternative to the Verisiterum potion and is being plagued by Pansy Parkinson." She sighed looking out the window at the darkening grounds, there seemed to be tiny little lights dancing across the grass and in the Forbidden Forest, but she thought it might just be the reflection on the window.

"Gin…" Persephone started. Ginny looked at her curiously, waiting for her to continue. "You don't think Malfoy could have like… feelings… for you or something, do you?"

Ginny's mouth dropped open in astonishment before promptly bursting into hysterical laughter. Her mirth drew stares from the rest of the Gryffindor common room, but she found she didn't really care.

She looked at Persephone to find her waiting patiently for Ginny to stop laughing. Once Ginny found she could talk after hearing the ridiculous notion, she threw Perse a grin, "yes and hell is getting mighty chilly these days."

Perse rolled her eyes and shook her head, _such naivety, even for a sixteen year old._

# # #

Breakfast in the great hall was a cramped affair as usual. With everyone barely awake or functioning it usually developed into a comedy of errors. The chatter generally consisted of moaning about sleep, or the lack thereof. Ginny watched impassively, she was never very hungry in the mornings, but had found early on that she could function quite agreeably without sleep. _Probably because I've gotten so used to bottling everything up that even when I feel grumpy I act the same, _she considered vaguely.

Ron absent-mindedly filled his plate from Hermione's, who was presently buried in a huge tome entitled 'Dark & Light; the best and worst wizards ever recorded.' Which obviously looked completely fascinating. Well, from the way she was devouring it, it did.

Harry caught Ginny eyeing Hermione and her reading material dubiously and caught her eye with a roll of his. Then he smiled fondly, his grin taking in the people he cared about the most.

A year ago Ginny would have blushed and done something hideously embarrassing, but this time she didn't even return his smile. _Perfect Potter gets enough attention anyway, _the vehemence of her thoughts surprising her. In her peripheral vision she could see Harry frowning uncertainly.

There was a silence between their small circle of Gryffindors; the only noise being Ron's munching and the chattering from the other tables. Ginny cast a glance at Persephone to find her snoring soundly, fork still clutched in her hand, this caused Ginny to smirk slightly in amusement.

"Ginny, are you ok?" Harry queried gently, as though he was talking to a small child. _I am not a child, idiot, _her brain spat heatedly.

"If I wanted your help Potter, I would ask," Ginny snarled hotly.

At Harry's stunned look she slapped her hands over mouth, her eyes widening in disbelief. _Why did I just say that?_

Ginny quickly apologised and stuttered out something about having too little sleep before escaping the great hall like a bat out of hell.

Harry watched her go inquisitively; no one else at the table had even looked up. _Too engrossed in eating, reading or sleeping, _he thought derisively. _Since when does Ginny call me Potter? And she sounded exactly like someone else… but I can't put my finger on whom._

At that moment Persephone started to snore (rather loudly) rapidly distracting the Gryffindor's attention.

# # #

By the time Ginny had arrived at her room, she had considerably calmed down, and now thought through the event rather more composed than before. She wasn't sure why she had snapped at Harry, in fact she wasn't sure why she'd snapped at all – it had never happened before.

She unceremoniously flopped on her bed, almost squishing the tiny fairy that hovered patiently on her pillow.

Ginny yelped in surprise before scrambling down the bed but got tangled in the hangings, so she ended up (somewhat painfully) on the floor.

The fairy laughed, her giggle sounding like someone tinkling tiny bits of glass together. Ginny pouted, narrowing her eyes in irritation, _what the hell is a fairy doing in my room?_

She quickly got to her feet, eyeing the fairy distractedly. _Does it speak English?_ she wondered curiously. Her internal question was quickly answered.

"You are Ginevra Weasley, yes?" the fairy inquired in a liquid-like squeak.

Ginny nodded, arranging herself cross-legged on the end of the bed and studying the fairy enquiringly. She had never seen one before, but they were exactly how she imagined them from stories read to her when she was younger. The fairy had tiny translucent wings that fluttered occasionally; she had very long blonde hair and violet eyes that gave her an uncanny appearance. She also seemed to be wearing a sewn together leaf and petal for her dress.

"Yes, why do you want to know? What do you want?"

"My name is Mirabella, and I am Fae Fairy from Whistling Wood," the fairy announced importantly puffing up her small frame as impressively as she could.

"That doesn't answer my question," Ginny remarked in reply, she was feeling quite edgy today.

"Patience!" screeched the Fae, Ginny winced slightly as the sound penetrated right through her. Suddenly, out of nowhere, another fairy materialized next to Mirabella. "This is Patience," introduced the fairy succinctly. "Tell her why we are here," demanded the blonde fairy.

Ginny studied Patience thoughtfully, if Persephone had been a fairy that would be exactly how she would have looked, right down to the crystalline blue eyes.

"Hello Ginevra," the fairy started quite nervously, after a pause for thought she just dived straight into the story with the facts. "You are aware of the four elements, yes? Air, Water, Fire and Earth. Faes are the fairies of the elements, each of us are born under a certain season and therefore are committed to its element." She paused, passing a glance at Mirabella, who as it turned out was barely listening. "I am a Winter Fae, and Mirabella is a Spring Fae. But there is one other element that has little or no representation in the physical world."

Ginny thought hard, but never remembered being told of a fifth element at anytime in her life. Patience smiled, as though sensing her train of thought.

"This element is that of emotion, of internal feeling. And you, my child, have a very strong magical ability and therefore residue in this field. The last daughter to be born of emotion as a seventh child died at a very young age as her existence was too dangerous for the magical world. But you are stronger than her, and more balanced" The fairy smiled again, watching Ginny shyly.

Mirabella seemed to break out of her reverie, "Right, so now that has all been explained, we are here to warn you. And help you. You should be aware that Faes have kept to themselves for thousands of years and we are breaking tradition and lore by coming here at all," she said sternly.

Ginny nodded, still trying to take everything in. _it's like being dropped in the middle of a story when no one told me the beginning! I'm a child of… emotion. How bizarre._

"The banshees have taken residence in the Forbidden Forest, under no circumstance go there." Mirabella's shrill tone interrupted her thoughts.

"No circumstance," affirmed Patience gravely.

"What do the Banshees want with me?" asked Ginny quickly; eager to finally understand why her life was under threat. _And Draco's too._

"Banshees are a race of Faerie, but unlike us, they are attracted to death instead of life," explained Patience, her eyes sombre. "If you were converted to be a Banshee you would lose your soul and become pure emotion. You would be raised as Queen among them, and you would lead the banshee race out of the passive signalling of death and grant them the power to take life by themselves."

"Needless to say," piped up Mirabella, "this would cause widespread death, destruction and inevitably darkness. If you value your life you must never go near them."

Ginny had felt the colour drain from her face. _Power,_ that's what she had felt on the train that fateful night, she had felt it coursing through her veins whilst her soul was being extracted. Ginny physically shuddered, feeling slightly sick, _that would almost be worse than the dementor's kiss._

"There is a way we can help you though," whispered Patience quietly. "You must be aware sometimes that your dreams are too realistic? That is the beginning of power, your subconscious creates your dreams, and it can change them as well. Though with the element of emotion comes vast responsibility of course, bear this in mind. "

"With time, and practise, you may be able to project this power into the 'real' world and in this way be able to manipulate the world around you. This could save your life, and could dramatically tip the balance on the side of good." Mirabella quickly quieted, and both fairies cocked their heads, as if listening.

"We bid you good day," Patience said hurriedly, "we will meet again soon." With that, both fairies rose rapidly into the air, their tiny wings beating speedily. Each Fae placed a minute kiss on Ginny's cheek, and then vanished, as if they'd never been there.

At that exact moment the door blew open and Persephone stormed in, anger emanating from her in vibrant waves.

# # #

Severus Snape studied Dumbledore carefully. As always the ancient wizard gave nothing away except things he wanted the subject to know.

"Well what are we to do professor?" Snape asked impatiently. He had related the news that he had gathered from the 'Inner Sanctum' deatheaters, and it was not encouraging. Voldemort's first plan after gaining power and resources in the North was to come after Hogwarts in order to conquer the light as swiftly as possible before people would be able to react.

Dumbledore hummed thoughtfully, apparently not worried by Snape's shortness. "The world is changing so fast," he said thoughtfully. "This time next year we could be anywhere, doing anything."

_Even dead,_ Snape mentally added.

Dumbledore's eyes took on a slightly harder quality. _Finally, down to business. _

"The older years will need schooling in the ways of the Dark Arts," Dumbledore said, slowly. "After all they cannot fight that which they do not understand. I have resisted teaching them anything that could bring possible darkness to this school, but now it is in their best interests. If Hogwarts should fall the last hope of the light would be extinguished."

"With you here, headmaster, I think it unlikely that Hogwarts would go down without a fight."

Dumbledore smiled in appreciation, to which Snape gave a curt nod.

"Yes I shall set up a Dark Arts Comprehension lesson for the last lesson on a Friday," the headmaster said contemplatively, turning to stand next to the window, "after all we can never be too prepared."

# # #

As the evening drew on, shadows detached and coalesced in Hogwart's hallways. The moonlight from the windows became distorted as soon as it entered the castle, casting weird and horrifying patterns on walls and staircases. In their beds every student slept soundly, but in their dreams they were tormented. Something foreign indeed was at Hogwarts, and as curtains blew and rustled in an invisible breeze it became more and more obvious that something was dreadfully amiss.


	8. Tangled Web

A/n: The next installment is here! I hope you like it as much as I liked writing it!  
  
Thanks go to Emma Barrows, Soul Stealer Immortal, Ally, the Vampire in the Shadows and Stella7. Thank you for your wonderful reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter also. Voila... Disclaimer: own nothing (sob)  
  
Chapter 7 – Tangled Web 

Ginny tried, in vain, to pacify Persephone.

"She was just so unbelievably _cocky_," she growled searching through her trunk and throwing various discarded items in random directions, "SUCH a bitch, and she wasn't very nice about you either! I can't believe some people's gall sometimes, and MALFOY standing there SNIGGERING, I could have strangled him too!" Perse snarled, drawing a hairbrush violently through her hair.

Ginny sighed, weathering Persephone's rant resignedly. Tugging Perse's school tie off the doorframe where it had landed she folded it neatly before turning to her friend.

"Perse, it's only Pansy-ultra-Slytherin-bitch, you wonder how she got that name? Well it's from displays such as that." Ginny watched Perse, trying to gauge her reaction before continuing falteringly, "I'm so sorry I left you at breakfast else I would have been there to give you some support when Pansy laid in." She tugged her fingers through her hair, _Sunday mornings should not be this stressful._

Persephone waved her apology away, "You couldn't have known," she assured her. "Out of interest, what DID happen at breakfast?" She watched Ginny attentively, waiting for her answer.

Ginny related what had happened with Harry rather embarrassedly. Perse smiled sympathetically, "Yeah, uh, sorry I was asleep. Again," she replied, scratching her head sheepishly.

Persephone watched Ginny astutely as she changed into her jeans and a black t-shirt.

"Y'know you did sound a lot like our-favourite-Slytherin himself though. Maybe there's something he left out with the aura-merging event," she pondered.

Ginny's face drained of colour. "What you mean like he's speaking through me or something?" She looked terrified.

"No, no," Persephone quickly reassured her, "you're still very much, well, you. I just think the link between you could be influencing your actions."

She heaved a sigh of relief, fingering her long hair into a plait. "Would be funny to think of Malfoy getting all touchy-feely like me though wouldn't it," she asked Persephone, her face cracking into a grin.

Persephone giggled in answer, imagining Draco becoming all soft and harmless, quite a funny visual. Like Snape in a dress and a hat - she'd heard about the Bogart incident of Ginny's second year from Neville himself.

Whilst she waved her wand around making quite feeble attempts (in her opinion) to darken around her eyes and de-flaw her complexion (the magical equivalent of what the muggles called 'make-up', _horrendously complicated that is, too_) she could see Ginny shooting her furtive glances in her peripheral vision. She sighed.

"Out with it Gin."

Ginny didn't immediately answer, preferring to study her fingernails conscientiously.

Internally though, Ginny was having a furious debate with herself. _Do I tell her about the fairies, or is that just too weird? Maybe I only imagined them anyway. Whoever heard of the element of emotion besides? _And so the thoughts went round and round until eventually she just blurted it out: "I spoke with some fairies."

Persephone froze. She spun slowly around to study Ginny's face, finding no trace of mirth or mockery on her features.

"Ok…" she slowly placed her wand down, "want to explain that comment?"

Ginny gradually told her all that had passed between her and the Faes, and although Persephone found it a little hard to believe that Ginny had talked with fairies, she understood the emotional potential of her friend. After all it was obvious to anyone who really got to know Ginny that there was more to her than just the observable, _unfortunately most of Hogwarts have been too shortsighted to take that chance. _

After Ginny had finished Perse blew out a breath, "Why couldn't I pick the normal person to be best friends with?" she joked rhetorically. Seeing the pensive look that suddenly planted itself on Ginny's features she quickly amended, "But where would be the adventure then?"

# # #

Draco watched littlest Weasley stroll unconcernedly into the great hall for lunch with her dark-haired friend. He noticed Blaise watch them too, but for a different reason to him. Zabini was heels over elbows for the welsh witch. Draco could see the attraction, but personally thought she was a little too bizarre for his rather more refined tastes.

He watched Ginny say something rather nervously to Potter and him budging up to make room for her on the bench. Draco unconsciously narrowed his eyes dangerously.

He, along with the rest of the rather dim-witted male population, had noticed the diminutive Weasley recently; in fact sometimes it was difficult not too. Whereas in previous years she rather blended into Hogwarts like a ghost, this year she had been brought out of herself by her friend, _better late than never I suppose_. Albeit gradually, it was still becoming evident to any hot-blooded male that Ginny Weasley was no longer a scared little waif. He had seen the majority of boys in the sixth and seventh years give her a look-over at least once, and she seemed entirely oblivious to it all. _Come the ball, she'll be beating them off with a stick. Or maybe I could beat them off with a stick for her… _Startled at his abrupt change of thought; he quickly wolfed his lunch and headed rapidly out of the hall.

Once out in the corridor, he turned to find Blaise pacing next to him.

"You need to forget about her," Draco told him. "It's never going to happen."

"Yeah, and you need to keep your eyes off Ginny Weasley, but that's not exactly going to happen either, is it?"

Like lightning, Draco had Zabini pinned roughly to the wall. "Never," he growled through clenched teeth, "insinuate anything like that again." With that he stalked off, his robe billowing menacingly behind him.

Blaise looked after him, a smirk evident on his face. _Ah, the first girl to get a rise out of Draco, and how poignant that it's the one girl who would barely give him the time of day. Hmm, maybe I'm rubbing off on him._

# # #

"Oh, hell! I left my potions homework in the common room," Ginny exclaimed slightly panicked.

"Go back and find it! Quickly though, you might just make it on time," encouraged Perse.

"Ok, see you shortly!" Ginny yelled over her shoulder whilst sprinting off in the opposite direction.

"Do try to look where you're going though," Persephone murmured after her departing form.

Perse walked briskly along the corridors. Her heart felt unusually light considering she was going to double potions, it was Monday morning, _eurgh, _and had been haunted the night before by very nasty dreams from when her parents had been murdered. To make her morning a hundred times worse the P.U.S.B (Pansy-ultra-Slytherin-bitch) herself appeared out of a classroom to Persephone's left.

"Ah, hello little girl," Pansy drawled. "Fancy meeting you on this rather deserted, out of the way, hallway. Wouldn't it be strange that if someone was calling for help no one would hear them?"

"Fascinatingly so," replied Perse shortly. _I will NOT lose my temper; she will NOT get to me._

"Stay away from Zabini," hissed the Slytherin threateningly.

"Like I'd want to go near him in the first place!" Perse exclaimed scornfully.

"You're all the same, you Griffs. So painfully proud, you'd rather lose your life than your pride," the older girl scoffed mockingly. "Now I want you and Zabini to stay apart, else it will ruin everything."

"Everything?" inquired Persephone curiously.

"Plans that took years of preparation," Pansy replied haughtily, "not that you'd care. So I need to deter Blaise from you." She took out her wand and began to play with it between her fingers. "What would you prefer? Boils or discolouration?"

Perse felt the blood drain from her face. Pansy was a year above her, and she hadn't been taught the _Protego _defensivecharm properly yet as she'd only been at Hogwarts a short while.

"Boils it is," said Pansy impatiently. Aiming her wand directly at Persephone's head, she cried "_Bubbloila!"_

Just behind Perse she heard an answering voice call "_Defenamore!"_

When nothing happened Persephone opened her eyes slowly, not realising that she'd screwed them up tight when Pansy had shouted her hex.

She seemed to be enclosed in an emerald bubble, the outside world was still quite clear, but slightly blurred, like looking at it through water. She turned to find Blaise Zabini towering over her.

"_Finite Incantatem," _he said calmly, the bubble vanishing immediately_._ "What the hell are you trying to do Pansy? You know hexing students would cost Slytherin valuable points and you a detention, can't spend just one day not making someone's life a misery?" he spat vehemently.

Pansy scowled at him. Abruptly she flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder and stalked away up the corridor.

Blaise watched her go, a dark look in his eyes. He turned to ask Persephone if she was okay, but she too had vanished. _You'd think saving the girls looks would at least earn me some points, _he thought frustratedly, _But apparently not._

# # #

Harry and Ron arrived back at the common room, panting. Hermione and Ginny were sitting on the same settee, Hermione reading and Ginny lost in her own thoughts. The older girl eyed them over her book, one eyebrow raised questioningly.

"We just spied," deep breath, "on the Slytherin's," another deep breath, "quidditch practise!" explained Ron, somewhat stiltingly.

"But they saw us," added Harry, recovering faster than Ron.

"And so we ran," Ron agreed, clutching his heaving chest with a freckled hand.

Hermione gave them a reproving glare; "You know you shouldn't-" she started.

"Spy on the other teams, yes Hermione, we KNOW that's cheating, you have told us before," Ron finished for her, rolling his eyes. Ginny smiled at the exchange between them, Hermione had to be the only girl who could go head to head with Ron and not be the slightest bit intimidated, ether by his hair or his height.

"As the oldest in the school. You should be setting an EXAMPLE," Hermione admonished.

Harry smiled innocently, "We didn't see much, just Malfoy trying to get his team to understand the quidditch basics," he shared a grin with Ron, "he wasn't doing too well."

"At least they're having quidditch practises," remarked Ginny offhandedly.

Ron puffed himself up impressively, "I'll have you know I organised the quidditch tryouts for this Saturday – all on my own."

"That's great brother dearest," Ginny smirked, "are you going to learn how to tie your shoelaces next week?"

There was silence as the Golden Triplet looked at her. _Bitchy bitchy…_

Then Harry burst into laughter and the tension immediately dissolved. Ron joined him.

"And the week after," replied Harry, smile still intact, "we're advancing onto how to dress ourselves properly."

Ginny shared their laughter, but it still slightly bothered her that she occasionally just came out with stuff that had a very Malfoy-esque ring to it.

# # #

"You shouldn't be scared of her," repeated Ginny, "she's just a bully who gets kicks out of other people fear." Persephone nodded mutely watching the fire flicker in the empty common room. "But you have to admit that Zabini isn't too bad, I mean he did protect you and everything," pressed Ginny.

"Yes," Perse agreed slowly. "But what was he doing there in the first place? And why does Pansy want me to stay away from him?" _Not that I want to go near him anyway, _she mentally added.

"No idea," the redhead shrugged. "The Slytherins are always scheming, it could be any number of things."

"True," agreed Perse. "Speaking of Slytherins, have you spoken to his highness yet? 'Cause you know you really need to, else you might go so far as to become the Super Bitch of Gryffindor. And we wouldn't want to rob Lysine of that now would we?" Lysine was a second year, and had a reputation for being unnecessarily mean to not only her peers, but the years above and below as well. _Merlin knows how she got into Gryffindor in the first place._

Ginny smiled in agreement. "I really don't think that'll happen though Perse. I mean you can't see Malfoy getting all sweet and cuddly anytime soon can you? So I don't think I will end up like Pansy" _Well I hope not anyway._

Persephone laughed, shaking her head. "I don't think you could ever be like Pansy," she answered truthfully, "but I think you should still talk to him. You might be able to do a blocking spell where you can't do that funny link thing that happens." She paused, grinning cheekily, "And to be honest I really don't want my best friend to be channelling Draco Malfoy any time soon thanks."

This earned her a gentle hit from Ginny.

The strange look once again appeared in Persephone's liquid blue eyes, putting Ginny on edge as she felt the magic in the room grow and multiply. The fire flickered higher casting dancing shadows on the walls. She watched Perse nervously, wondering what would happen.

"Danger walks Hogwarts halls, stolen in on a shadow." Persephone looked at her, and Ginny saw the dilation of her pupils once again, making her eyes appear almost black with magic and mystery, her black hair circled her head like a dark halo. "Be careful of what it is you dream," she articulated huskily, "because the Inverse stalks your dreams, and now reality."

Persephone blinked in confusion, her eyes instantly turning to their normal sparkling blue.

"What did I just say?" she asked embarrassedly, her cheeks taking on a pink hint.

"I think you just made a prediction," whispered Ginny in an awe-filled voice. She quickly related to Perse what exactly it was she had said. "And I think we have some research on our hands."

"It will have to wait until the morning," replied Perse, stretching and yawning on the maroon armchair. "I don't think I can keep my eyes open a moment longer."

After they had left the common room, two dark shadows detached from the wall and noiselessly followed them up the cold and winding stair.


	9. Unspoken Testimony

Hope you enjoy this chapter :) susannah xx Tell me what you think!  
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Chapter 8 – Unspoken Testimony 

Professor Dumbledore stood up expectantly, unfortunately at exactly the same time that breakfast commenced in all its chaos. He stood patiently whilst the students woke those who were sleeping and shushed each other, then shushed the ones who were shushing.

"I have a few announcements to make," he began, calmly studying the mass of waiting (and very hungry) students. "Firstly, Halloween is but a few weeks away, and the feast will begin as usual. Mr. Filch requests that no tricks (or 'treats') are played on him or Mrs. Norris this year." Dumbledore's sparkled with amusement. "The head girl and boy also ask that on October the thirty-first no students enter the hall after two p.m."

Harry and Ron looked Hermione askance, but she just tapped her nose, knowingly.

Dumbledore waited until the whispering and wondering died down. "The second notice is that there seems to be an influx of people reporting lost or 'stolen' watches to Lost Property. Madam Laclaster reports that she has no watches or clocks in her possession and sends the exact message: "Look _harder."_ A couple of the pupils harrumphed in annoyance. "And finally I will be setting up a Dark Arts Comprehension lesson every Friday evening from six until seven-thirty for all students from the sixth and seventh years. That is all." With that Dumbledore promptly sat down and the tables filled with food and drink.

"Dark Arts Comprehension," mused Harry thoughtfully. "Sounds interesting."

"I wonder who will be taking it?" Hermione agreed.

"Probably Snape knowing our luck!" Ron piped up. "Do you reckon its just like advanced D.A.D.A?"

Hermione shook her head, "No, it's more likely to be an analysis on dark curses, hexes and incantations. Probably so we can understand better who we will be fighting against."

"Fighting against?" queried Ron.

"Well, you-know-who isn't going to leave Hogwarts alone indefinitely is he? This is like the power-base of his opposition." Hermione explained.

"Yeah, I see what you mean," said the tall redhead, "if I was you-know-who I'd take Hogwarts out first, then we'd all be learning you-know-who's ways, and the good side would hardly have a chance in hell." He scratched his head thoughtfully; unaware that he was demonstrating abilities that would mould an impressive strategist.

"Talking of D.A.D.A though, did you notice the new teacher acting rather weirdly last lesson?" Hermione asked, curiously.

Ginny tuned Hermione, Ron and Harry out, they often shared conversations that no one else would understand. Sometimes, it was almost as if they were speaking in a code that only they could appreciate, and often the three of them did it almost without thinking. She supposed it must be nice to have that kind of in-tuneness with another person, but it made anyone listening realise that they really were on the outside. She should know because she'd experienced it countless times in the past five or so years.

# # #

"Ah, ah, ah!" exclaimed Persephone breaking the silence.

"Very eloquent," observed Ginny. "What have you found?"

Persephone turned the book round so Ginny could read it: 'Faes and their counterparts: a guide to understanding'.

Ginny read the accompanying passage out loud, " 'Originally from Greece, these tiny, winged, seasonal faeries are born teasers. They have four guises, one for spring, summer, autumn and winter. As they honour the seasons, they have grown to dislike the years as this reminds them how old they have become. Often you can tell if a Fae has taken up residence as all clocks will either stop or disappear, but will miraculously reappear once they have moved on. Frequently, this is the only way of telling if Fae lives nearby as they painstakingly avoid humans.' It all fits!" she marvelled. "And it explains why your watch disappeared and Ron's stopped working, and why the common room clock consistently shows the wrong time"

"Yes," agreed Perse, sucking her lip in thought. "You'd also be able to tell if the Faes ever left as everything would go back to normal and that would mean the Banshees would be gone as well."

"Right," said Ginny, scribbling the information down on a very messy bit of paper, "now all we need to find out is whom the 'Inverse' are that you talked about."

"I haven't found any references to them at all," replied Perse, irritation creeping into her tone.

"Me neither," coincided Ginny. "I found something about the Diverse and the Reverse worlds. But that didn't even say much, only that mirrors join the two and that very little was known about the Reverse world." She paused for breath, "I don't even know whether that's relevant."

Persephone shook her head, deep in contemplation, "Maybe we're looking in the wrong place altogether…" She glanced around the library as though the answer might pop out and put the mystery to rest. Alas, no such thing happened.

"Look, it's the diminutive Weasley and her little black-haired friend," drawled a voice from behind them. Ginny rolled her eyes in exasperation. Draco Malfoy came into her line of sight, hair and robes in perfect alignment and style as always. "Hmmm, let's see," he spoke disinterestedly as usual, not even looking at them. He picked up one of the books strewn across the table, " 'Ten Faery Tales: Origin in Fact?' " He raised an eyebrow, looking at Ginny whilst smirking. "Aww, does widdle Weasley still believe in fairies? How twee."

"Sod off Malfoy," snarled Ginny, snatching the book from his hands.

Blaise Zabini abruptly made an appearance behind Malfoy's right arm. This time Persephone rolled her eyes impatiently. The two Slytherins stood shoulder to shoulder, effectively blocking Ginny and Persephone into the corner of the library where they had hidden themselves away.

In baffling unison, the two Slytherins sat down on the other side of the table, facing the two younger Gryffindors. Ginny eyed them apprehensively; at the same time noticing the obvious similarities between the two, and at the same time the evident differences.

Both Draco and Blaise sat with the same, proud, straight back and neither of them so much as darted a glance at the other one. The differences were that Draco's eyes were solid chips of ice whereas Blaise' were much gentler (_mind you, a cliff would be gentler than Draco's look,_ Ginny considered) and Blaise wouldn't stare Persephone in the eye where blonde Slytherin's gaze was unwaveringly intimidating.

"We have a few questions that we require answers to," Blaise said, an unmistakeable undertone of commandment in his voice.

"That's good 'cause so do we," retorted Perse appearing unconcerned, although Ginny knew her well enough to notice that the consistent playing with her jet locks was a sign of worry.

"I've asked before, I'll ask again," Draco cut in, "Weasley, why are you hunted? Last time I asked you escaped, this time you can't. I demand an answer."

_Spoken like a true spoilt brat,_ Ginny noted.

After a moment's thought she just came out with the truth, "Because I'm powerful. Because they want to control the world."

Draco snorted derisively, "Yes, and Longbottom's taken up Potions Master in his spare time."

Ginny sneered at him, "Guess that means you don't need to be Potions Apprentice anymore."

The blonde found himself at a loss for words, _how do you respond to someone who just sounded a hell of a lot like you do? The side effects of the Joining must be more potent than I thought._

Blaise took advantage of the pause in the bickering to jump in with a question of his own, this time directed at Persephone, "When Pansy cornered you earlier in the week, what did she say?"

Perse, who had been staring inattentively into space, jolted to attention. She narrowed her eyes severely, "What's it to you?" Out of the corner of her eye she could see Ginny staring at her astutely – she hadn't told the redhead of her latest run-in with Pansy because she didn't want her to worry. In hindsight it probably hadn't been a good idea not to enlighten her friend.

The dark-haired Slytherin shrugged uncaringly, but his eyes told a different story.

"Ginevra Weasley and Persephone Nixen!" cried a male voice from the other side of the shelves. "Where are you? I need a word!" the voice rose towards the end of the sentence, belying the speaker's anger.

Ginny smiled at Persephone, "Ron, we're over here!" she turned to tell the Slytherins that they should probably get going before her brother found them, but they had already vanished. _They couldn't be quieter if they were ghosts, _she thought to herself.

Suddenly the tall and (at the moment) intimidating form of her brother towered over them, his face perfectly clashing with his hair. "Quidditch tryouts are happening NOW."

# # #

Sleep came quickly to Ginny that night giving her little time to think about the Gryffindor team tryouts and their implications. Although she didn't feel particularly tired it was as though something coerced her brain immediately to a blissful sleep.

Instantly she found herself standing on a lofty hilltop, overlooking a valley and meandering river. The wind rustled her hair and the sun beat down onto her bare arms and face. The smell of summer wafted in the air, so different from the intoxicating odour of winter. Ginny walked barefoot across the meadow, the grass tickling the soles of her feet.

Everything was so colourful and vivid, it had to be one of the dreams that the fairies had told her about. Since they had visited her she hadn't remembered any of her nighttime dreams, only had a vague feeling of fear and the residue of terror that nightmares leave in the light of day. It had almost been as if her subconscious had been blocking her.

"Ginevra Weasley," a squeaky voice commanded from behind her.

Ginny spun to find a fairy hovering on her eye level.

The fairy had garlands of tiny flowers sewn into her vividly red hair, and, unlike Mirabella and Patience, she had an impressive blood-red rose petal skirt and a shimmering shawl made from what looked like woven spider webs. She looked queenly, and for such a miniature creature seemed to demand respect and reverence. Ginny fought the urge to curtsey.

"Uh, hi," said Ginny nervously.

"I am Faery Queen of the Whispering Faes, and the only Sleepsoarer to date." The tiny fairy inclined her head gracefully, as though acknowledging Ginny as an equal.

Ginny was a little taken back, _Sleepsoarer?_

"I'm here to teach you the ways of Resumbria," the fairy continued.

"Hang on, hang on," Ginny interrupted, "Sleepsoarer? Resumbria? Could you please explain them to me… miss, um, Faery?" she tailed off, what was she meant to call her?

"Exquiseta," the fairy filled in for her. "A Sleepsoarer is what you and I are, we take what we see and weave it into our dreams. Our subconscious's are very strong and allow us to change what happens to us in our dreams. Some very exceptional Sleepsoarers have mirrored this into reality, and therefore have gained great power and status on both sides of the good and evil divide." The fairy paused, letting this sink into Ginny. "You are yet a novice, but I will teach you to the best of my knowledge." Her green eyes flashed dangerously. "Be aware that Resumbria, this place of woven dreams, feels real, which also means that any injuries you fall victim to here, happen to your physical body also," she warned sternly.

Ginny nodded gravely, eyeing the world around her nervously. It looked peaceful enough, the trees and flowers bobbing gently in the warm breeze, but she knew from experience that not everything was as it seemed.

"The first lesson I will teach is a very basic understanding," explained Exquiseta. "Remember this place is made from woven dreams, it is simply looks the way your mind _perceives _it, which means you can manipulate it."

Ginny paid rapt attention as Exquiseta explained the basics of learning to exist in Resumbria. The first lesson she was to learn was how to project her mental picture of herself to another place in the land of dreams.

As she learned how to control the power she was gifted with, the foundations in the grand scheme of things were beginning to grind into place.

Yet a menacing figure watched impatiently as dark shadows stalked Hogwarts hallways. If things fell into their proper places then pretty soon the opaque shadows would be able to do more than simply stalk, soon they would be able to destroy.


	10. Defence by Offence

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot. And Persephone.   
  
Chapter 9 – Defence by Offence 

The day dawned bright and crisp, early frost covering the ground and crystallising on the window frames.

The list of who had made the Gryffindor quidditch team had been promptly posted on the common room wall, Ron sitting smugly next to it purely to show Hermione that we could do things quite efficiently when the mood took him.

Ginny was pleasantly surprised to find that both she and Persephone had made the team as chasers, along with a fifth year, Lydia Redstone.

Seamus and Dean had both the brains and the brawn to function effectively as Beaters, with Ron as Goalkeeper and Harry as Seeker, the Gryffindor team was shaping up to be quite a force to be reckoned with. Practise had been scheduled for every Monday and Thursday after school.

Ginny walked behind the trio, listening to Ron and Hermione's good natured bickering. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood these days, like his or her worries and fears simply dissolved during the day. Even Hermione didn't seem to be pushing as hard for their incoming NEWTs (eight or so months away) as she had done in the past.

Ginny turned to find that Persephone was nowhere in sight, so decided to wait for her. Everywhere she went these days either Harry or Hermione were there, it was quite disconcerting, almost as if they were following her. _But why would they follow me?_ She asked herself. She shook it off as her imagination, the head girl and the Boy Who Lived had better things to do than follow their best friends little sister.

Ron and Hermione sat opposite each other at the Gryffindor table, Hermione scolding him between mouthfuls and Ron retorted without bothering to wait to swallow first. Hermione wrinkled her nose distastefully.

Harry watched the proceedings, a small, knowing smile on his face.

"You, can't _taste_ yellow, Ron," Hermione declared acerbically.

"Can too, bananas taste very yellow!"

"Lemons are yellow too, but they don't taste the same," remarked the head girl sarcastically.

"Yes," agreed Ron, "I think they may have been confused to their colour. They taste more orangey."

Hermione rolled her eyes in surrender. He really was hopeless.

"First quidditch practise on Monday, Harry?" Ron asked after a pause.

"Yup," agreed Harry, his eyes watching Persephone and Ginny at the other end of the table curiously. Since she had spoken shortly to him that breakfast a while ago she had avoided him like the plague. It was making his and Hermione's job very difficult.

"Is that ALL you guys think about?" scoffed Hermione, "Sport and food?"

"No," asserted Ron, "we think about girls and sex too."

His eyes suddenly widened as he realised what he had just said. All the girls within hearing distance turned rather pink and busied themselves with their food, Hermione included, all the boys chuckled.

Hermione made a mental note not to ask that question ever again.

# # #

Ginny's dream was as vivid as ever. Exquiseta was nowhere to be seen so Ginny concluded that she probably wasn't asleep or was having a dreamless slumber.

Every night since she'd been taught how to dream-apparate she had practised conscientiously. The small valley had become her playground; almost effortlessly she could project herself onto the adjoining hill, down to the stream, beneath a towering oak tree and back again. Ginny had found that the fairy had a very playful nature and so they had made a game out of it, appearing and disappearing across the rolling hills to their hearts content.

Tonight she was feeling adventurous; she looked as far as she could across the dips and vales, and spied a weeping willow standing proudly on a rise in the distance.

Closing her eyes tightly, she mentally repeated to herself _I'm not moving, the world around me is…_

On a strange level of awareness she felt the weaves around her unravel and then reform in a different pattern. Ginny opened her eyes to find the Willow branches tangling in her hair and a wide, flat expanse of land stretching out before arching into mountain-like peaks. Water glittered under the rays of the summer sun, dipping and sparkling in unison.

The land was foreign to her, but on some level she faintly felt a glimpse of recognition. Looking to her left over emerald forest she focused on a tiny stretch of mountaintop, _the world moves, not me._

Again she experienced the familiar unravelling and entwining of the vibrant world around her, and almost instantly felt cool wind and warm stone beneath her feet. Ginny observed the surroundings from her now high-up viewpoint. To her right, tendrils of mist curled and twisted beneath the imposing mountains, creating a feeling of foreboding even in the heat of the summer. To her left, a lake stretched away from her, reflections making it seem larger than it really was. In the very far distance she could see a castle looming. The first place she'd seen that hadn't been entirely natural.

She decided to take a closer look,_ reminds me of Hogwarts._

The immediate world began to come undone in readiness for the re-weaving as the terrain moved around her. Unlike earlier times though something became evidently wrong, almost like Resumbria was blocking her. Ginny opened her eyes to find something like a vortex swirling furiously around her, but bizarrely soundless. Quite suddenly she felt solid ground roll beneath her feet as she was physically spat out into icy air.

Ginny glanced around fearfully. She appeared to be in deep forest, she wasn't sure though because it was inky black, above her she could see clouds rolling and avalanching – blocking the moon. It was nighttime… _but in Resumbria it's never nighttime._

The implication of this terrified her; she glanced down quickly and was met with her pink flannel pyjamas. _This isn't a dream, this is real._

She scrambled hurriedly to her feet darting glances around her eerie setting, creaking trees met her eyes in every direction. _I'm in the Forbidden Forest. _Ginny tried to suppress this voice, but she couldn't shake the truth in it. Panic began to clench her heart in its tight grip and her breaths came short and sharp. _How did I get here?_

Unseen creatures skittered through the undergrowth; Ginny's terror began to grow, like a drug spreading through her veins. She backed away slowly, not sure what she was backing from or even into. Her bare heel hit damp rock causing her to jump in alarm, as she turned to look the moon escaped from beneath a cloud throwing dusky rays across the clearing. Ginny found a boulder in front of her, glistening with moisture in the moonlight, she sighed trying desperately to calm herself, _I need to get back to the castle._

She became aware of the sound of slithering in the surrounding impenetrable darkness, like the sound of cloth creeping over dead leaves. Her blood began to freeze, sending a shiver down her spine. Abruptly the sound stopped and Ginny could about discern a figure in the trees directly in front of her. It horribly reminded her of a person, watching her.

The silhouette edged into the clearing, the moonlight depicting its features bit by bit. It didn't 'walk' as of such, more floated, although it was difficult to tell as a heavy black robe slid along the ground preventing any part of the creature from being seen. As the dappled moonlight danced across its face Ginny's breath lodged in her throat.

Lank black hair, barely perceptible against the dark robe, fell to its waist, framing a paper white face. The eyes were black with evil and death; they dominated its human-like face, but the pupils were glazed and sightless, a milky covering across the irises but they were directed unswervingly at Ginny's face. She thought she was going to throw up.

Out of the trees adjacent to the banshee more appeared, the same unseeing eyes directed at Ginny. Coldness washed over her in waves, blending with the fear, she was scared to the point where she couldn't move. _Fight or flight…_

With this final thought she turned and belted away from the banshees. Branches whipped her face and legs and stones ground painfully into her bare feet, but with the adrenalin coursing through her veins she barely even registered this, concentrating instead on getting as far away as physically possible from the deathly fairies.

# # #

Draco awoke, his breathing heavy. _Ginny. _Her fear was tangible and he felt a second hand version of it causing his hands to shake. _She needs help. She needs my help._

In a flash he was out of bed and dressed as fast as was physically possible. Taking an extra jumper in case it should be needed he quickly left the Slytherin hovel. The sense of urgency increased once he was outside on the castle grounds; there was a strange feeling in the air tonight.

Without hesitation he began to run towards the Forbidden Forest, he could pinpoint Ginny almost unwaveringly. Except she was moving quite fast, he hoped that was through choice and not because she had been captured.

He sprinted noiselessly through the forest, his dark robes blending into the darkness; anyone watching would have easily mistaken him for shadowed moonbeam.

They would also have discerned a second spectral figure silently tailing him.

# # #

A hidden tree root caught around Ginny's foot sending her flying across the dense forest floor. She rolled onto her back, panting quickly, still jumpy on adrenalin.

The forest directly surrounding her seemed empty; although it was difficult to tell as in many places the trees were an impenetrable inky black. She couldn't hear anything, no nocturnal animals, no slithering cloth, nothing. Ginny tried to calm her frantic breathing; she wished desperately that she had advanced to the stage where she could manipulate reality with her powers.

In her slightly less panicked state, she became alert to an awareness of someone closing in on her. _Draco._

"No, Draco, please…" she appealed softly to the darkness. It would be bad enough if the banshees got her, but if they killed Draco it would be twice as terrible.

As the immediate rush of adrenalin receded, she felt the various bruises and scratches covering her aching body. It would be easy simply to just lie here and let the darkness close in and take her, but the fire in her heart still burned, so Ginny pulled herself wearily to her feet, lifting her chin to face the menacing forest rebelliously.

The shadows began to shift and coalesce, alerting Ginny to the presence of the death spirits again. The fear bubbled up through her again; proof of mortality was difficult to look in the face without fear.

A twig broke behind her and she spun to find herself staring into Draco's unfathomable grey orbs.

"_Lumos_," he whispered_. _His wand tip lit spreading light across him and Ginny. The banshees made no further approach but neither did they back away. "Pretty pickle you got yourself into here Weasley," his tone completely defied the fact that he was in the middle of the Forbidden Forest in the wee hours of the morning just because she couldn't look after herself.

His wand spattered and went out, as though blown by an invisible wind. The banshees slowly began to close in. Draco turned to find them in a ring behind him as well. _No escape. We're going to die. At least I'll go down fighting._

"_STUPEFY," _he yelled at the nearest creature, sending it flying into the forest.

"Oh, yeah, that was a good idea," Ginny muttered superciliously.

The banshee next to the one that had been blasted began to scream in rage and warning. Ginny and Draco clamped their hands firmly over their ears, vainly attempting to keep the terrifying wailing from their ears. Then the Slytherin had an idea.

"_Defenamore," _he mumbled, a familiar silver bubble erupting from his wand to encase the two of them.

_I have to learn that spell, _Ginny thought absently to herself.

They could no longer the screaming, and the banshees could not enter the bubble. So it was a stalemate for a bit. However maintaining the bubble took a lot of happy memories and good thoughts, which Draco had very few of indeed.

"We're going to die," announced Ginny matter-of-factly. Draco could see the terror shining in her eyes though, _there's still so much to live for._

What he did next he would always claim was the result of impending death and disaster. Sliding his arm that wasn't holding the wand around her waist he brought her body close against his.

Ginny's eyes questioned him, _what was he doing? _Draco himself didn't know, but he did know that he wasn't about to die without having someone remember him.

Bringing his lips very close to hers he almost forgot the awaiting banshees, her smell was intoxicating, like the scent of summer on a soft breeze. He paused, gauging her reaction. Well she wasn't running, _but then she technically has nowhere to run to. _Without more ado he pressed his lips to hers, feeling her stiffen in his arms.

There was a moment's pause where both parties were unsure of what to do next. Then Ginny melted into his embrace, tilting her head upwards to give him better access to her mouth. The kiss began feather light, acting to comfort one another simply by their presences light, but gradually became more demanding. Draco held her closer, liking the way her body felt against his. Kissing the redhead was unimaginably different from kissing Pansy; she had been coy but arrogant at the same time, like kissing superficial plastic. Ginny gave an unintentional air that beneath the smooth and calm surface there was a bubbling fire waiting to be unlocked. And Draco badly wanted to be the one to unlock it.

A disturbance broke them apart. Draco looked through the shimmering walls finding the last person imaginable blasting banshees away from them.

A/n: sorry for the slight cliffhanger guys! but I promise i will post the next chapter a.s.a.p!   
Thank you mell8 and ginnyharry for your reviews, much appreciated! as long as people are still enjoying it i am still happy to write :)  
Disclaimer: you know the drill, own nothing.


	11. Playing with Fire

Disclaimer: Own nothing. You know the drill.  
  
A/n: no, I'm afraid no cookies for you lady-nimoe, but you were soooooo close!  
Big thanks to Lady-Nimoe, Spiritsha Master and mell8 for you reviews :)  
  
Spiritsha Master - I have just gone through the ENTIRE fan fiction and changed the spelling of 'gryffindor' (be PROUD)  
  
Enjoy!   
  
Chapter 10 – Playing with Fire 

Blaise Zabini stood, feet evenly spaced, between the trees, his eyes blazing. The self-centred kid who barely gave a blast-ended skrewt about anyone other than himself had come through in spades.

The way between Blaise and themselves was cleared, so Ginny and Draco hurried quickly across to him. The banshees recovered very rapidly, rising to their feet, as though propelled by invisible wings.

"What now?" Draco asked. His face had reverted to its normal stone-like formation.

"Well," replied Blaise, sending another rally of hexes in the vague direction of the banshees. "I only really thought as far as my valiant rescue and you two worshipping the ground I stood on."

"Bullshit," retorted Draco. _Zabini wouldn't have come in half-cocked; he's a Slytherin not a Gryffindor._

Blaise ignored him. "Although you two looked quite content on your own…" The innuendo was difficult to miss.

Ginny coloured slightly although it wasn't noticeable in the darkness, she still didn't quite know what to think about that particular episode.

Suddenly, hundreds of tiny little fairy light descended from the trees, sparkling delicately in the trees branches. Ginny gasped in awe at the prettiness, fairies of every different build and type danced and played. They zipped around the heads of the banshees, causing the blackened hags to retreat away from the students and the colourful fairies.

"If you value your life I suggest you run," squeaked the black-haired fairy Ginny recognised as Patience.

"Yes, and next time listen to us," admonished the fair-headed Mirabella. "Now go!"

"Would be quicker if you summoned a broom," added Patience quickly.

With that the three students turned on their heels and scarpered. _So it turns out that fairies maybe do exist…_

"_Accio_ broom!" both Draco and Blaise shouted in unison. A few moments two brooms whistled through the wood towards them, Ginny ducked, narrowly missing Draco's Firestorm II. Both boys jumped on their brooms and Ginny found herself hoisted in front of Draco, and they soared through the tree coverage into the open air.

Draco watched the air whip Ginny's face, making her vibrant hair flow and dance behind her. _How could anyone not notice her? _Although he himself barely knew of her existence until he had saved her life.

Behind them the wails followed, haunting the night sky. Draco cast a fleeting look at Blaise. He would want to know everything before the night was over, Draco wasn't sure he was ready to tell yet though, he himself had so many blanks to fill in.

At Hogwart's gates Blaise and Draco split. Ginny somehow had managed to fall asleep, _quite an achievement at fifty feet, _so Draco drifted up to the Gryffindor tower. Somehow, the window had been left open, almost as if in anticipation of their arrival. Draco suspected something to do with that Persephone girl.

The Slytherin gently placed Ginny on her bed, she was covered in marks and scratches, but she would have to tidy herself up in the morning – his healing spells had a tendency to do more worse than good. He studied the sleeping girl tenderly, he didn't understand her, and he was sure these 'soft' feelings had to be from the link, but at that point in time he didn't care, he just knew she needed protecting. _She's going to be the downfall of me,_ he reflected, _but only if I let her._

Draco exited the room via the window again. Two aqua orbs watched him go.

# # #

When Ginny awoke the next morning she was gratified to find that she was still alive and kicking. However the thousands of tiny cuts and bruises over her body made moving (and even breathing) quite painful. Abruptly, Persephone was next to her.

"I got you out of lessons for today," she explained. "And me too," she added as an afterthought. "You need your rest, your brother would throw a fit if he could see you now."

"What did you tell him by the way?" inquired Ginny.

"That you had really contagious flu," Perse replied, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. The black-haired Gryffindor always managed to give off the impression that she knew more than she let on. "So how was Draco last night?" Ginny's suspicions were correct.

"He was…" Ginny remembered to the night before, the dream, the banshees and the fairies. The she remembered Draco's resolve in the face of the death spirits. "Terrifying as usual," she finished.

"And the kiss?"

"How do you know all this?" Ginny exclaimed in surprise.

"I saw it," replied Persephone simply.

"You mean you were there?" queried Ginny curiously. She didn't have any recollection of seeing Perse the night before at all.

"No… I just saw what happened. It was very visualistic, and can I point out that you and Draco make a pretty cute pair."

"We're NOT a pair!" Ginny retorted hotly, trying to sit up indignantly but found it too painful.

"That's not what the kiss looked like to me…" holding her hands up placatingly, a smug smile present on her features.

"First off, HE kissed ME. I had no voluntary part in it!"

"Yes," agreed Persephone gravely, "And did you see that flying squadron of flobberworms?"

Ginny frowned in annoyance. "What do you mean you 'saw' it anyway? I think there's some things about you that you need to explain…"

Persephone nodded in understanding, "I know."

She got off Ginny's bed, and paced to the window staring at the view across the Hogwarts ground. It was unseasonably warm for October, almost as though the darkness had been held off for a day. She turned to find Ginny watching her enquiringly.

"My mother was a Nixen," she started calmly, a slight welsh lilt suddenly taking residence as she talked about her past. At Ginny's blank look she explained. "Water sprites, they live in rivers all around the world. The are dangerous to humans as they lure sailors and swimmers and cause storms." She paused, fiddling with the drapes around the bed. "My mother was different to all the others though, she saved my father from drowning in the River Llwedeig and she fell in love with him."

"So your part Nixen?" breathed Ginny in an awe-filled voice.

"Yes," concurred Persephone. "I am therefore also part Seer. The Nixen water sprites are all Seers, their medium being water. But being part human, I see things in both water and air."

"Explains a lot," marvelled Ginny. "Guess we're all special in our own ways huh?"

Persephone nodded. "Does Zabini know about everything now do you think?"

Ginny had totally forgotten about him, she shrugged. "I don't know, he does have a right to know as I guess I do kind of owe them both my life now. In fact I owe Draco my life twice over."

"Quite a strong calling card that," observed Perse thoughtfully. _I wonder what will come of it._

# # #

Harry rested his head wearily in his arms. Double D.A.D.A was not what it was cracked up to be.

He glanced to his right to see Ron looking equally as bored, staring into space.

"I hope it's that good to drool about Mr Weasley," demanded professor Morgian, jolting Harry unceremoniously from his thoughts.

The class tittered among themselves and Ron quickly went a fetching glowing red. He quickly wiped his chin self-consciously.

"Now, Mr Weasley and Mr Potter, maybe you'd like to demonstrate what I just explained," asked the teacher with mock politeness.

Harry felt himself redden slightly. What had they been discussing? Something about Possession, he couldn't remember what though. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Hermione's reproving looks, she probably felt they got exactly what they deserved for not listening. _Well it wasn't like the rest of the class were on the edge of their seats either was it._

"Come to the front," ordered the young teacher her eyes flashing dangerously, brooking no argument, "So everyone can see you."

Harry and Ron slunk to the front of the class as inconspicuously as was possible.

"The detector charm you need to find out whether someone is possessed or not is rather complicated. First you need to light your wand." She waited patiently whilst Ron and Harry absorbed this information.

In unison they both voiced '_Lumos' _in the direction of their wands.

"Now, as you can see, both wands light with a white glow. If a person is possessed this goes red and if they are not it goes blue. The charm you need to say is '_Rebbivus_'"

"_Rebbivus_," chanted the class in unanimity.

"For some reason it helps if you concentrate on the persons hair colour. No-one quite knows why," added professor Morgian. "Ok Harry, you go first."

Harry eyed the tip of his wand dubiously before pointing it at Ron. Concentrating hard on the autograph Weasley red he pronounced "_Rebbivus_!" His wand point immediately glowed a bright aquamarine blue, causing Lavender and Pavati to oooh appreciatively. There was a smattering of applause and it was Ron's turn.

Ron held his wand steady, pointing it at Harry, "_Rebbivus_!" his wand tip, instead of going blue or red paused a moment on white before gradually turned a deep bottle green. The Gryffindors stared at it, before looking at the professor questioningly. Only Hermione caught the smirk that had been there previously.

The D.A.D.A professor feigned confusion, "No idea what that means," she said slowly. " But then Harry Potter is always a special case isn't he? I'm sure it nothing to worry about," she reassured them. "Ok, class dismissed."

The Gryffindors filed out slowly muttering amongst themselves, everyone save Ron and Hermione gave Harry a wide berth, just in case.

# # #

Gryffindor had their first team practise that evening and they all arrived on the pitch promptly, fuelled by anticipation.

Harry had the briefcase of balls clutched in firmly in his hand. He opened it slowly; the first ball that escaped was the snitch darting away around the quidditch pitch. The second ball was the quaffle that he threw to Lydia who caught it deftly rising into the air on her broom. Persephone and Ginny silently followed suit. Next, and finally, the bludgers zoomed out of the box whirring away to great heights. The team took off in its separate parts, each practising with their appropriate balls.

Ginny found flying with Lydia and Perse was almost refreshing, pretty soon they had some impressive tactics that served to effectively confuse Ron as they scored goal after goal. This either meant that they were really good chasers or Ron was not-so-good at goal keeping. Ginny prayed for the former to be true.

As the darkness began to draw in, Harry caught the snitch for the last time and they began to descend to earth.

"Look!" exclaimed Ron. The team followed his pointed arm to the edge of the stands, just in time to see a white-blonde head disappear down the middle of the seats.

Ginny knew immediately who it was.

"Malfoy," hissed Ron enragedly.

Ginny thought now would probably not be a good time to point out that they had technically gone and spied on the Slytherin practice first.

Ron hit the ground running, Harry following suit, the rest of the team, Dean and Seamus included, trailed at a slower pace. Dean and Seamus had tried to get Perse and hers attention for the entire practice and they seemed to think that now would be a good time. As they left the changing rooms however the yelling between her brother and Malfoy distracted them all.

"There wasn't much to see anyway!" snorted Draco, coolly.

"That's not the point! Just stay away from me, and mine," Ron snarled bringing his nose very close to the Slytherin's, Harry clinging to the back of his robes.

"No can do Weasley," smirked Draco, he sought Ginny standing next to Perse and gave her an exaggerated saucy wink, before turning and strolling unconcernedly away.

Ron stood shocked for a few seconds before realising exactly what it was Malfoy had done, then it took not only Harry but Seamus and Dean to hold him back from going to pound Draco's head in.

Ginny rolled her eyes, and desperately tried to mark the wink down along with the kiss as just 'weird behaviour'.


	12. Promises to Keep

Disclaimer: I own nothing except a few of the unrecognisable characters   
Thanks go to Spiritsha Master, Puss in boots 119, vixenfairy27, Trippygirl20051 and ginny2442 for your reviews :)  
  
Chapter 11 – Promises to Keep 

October the thirty-first started similar to any other day, but there was a gradually more obvious feel of excitement running through the backbone of the school community. This was a pleasant change from the overhang of gloom that had coveted the school since the beginning of term.

First-years lined the corridors, chattering excitedly. Ginny carefully navigated her way through them, trailing Persephone behind her. Perse was talking animatedly about some Ravenclaw bloke – James someone… - who she had met in her accelerated Divination class.

Ginny was only half listening, her mind instead on the blonde-haired Slytherin who had become a reluctant but increasingly solid part of her life. Since the quidditch pitch incident she had had little contact with him, possibly because her brother was hounding her steps along with Hermione and Harry, although they were less noticeable about it.

"Have you listened to a word I said?" Perse' voice cut through her thoughts like a knife. Ginny eyed her guiltily.

"Yes… I got the bit where he's really good at crystal meditation?"

Perse stared dangerously. "Why did you say that like a question?" she all but growled.

"I'm sorry," Ginny sighed, "got things on my mind."

"A certain Slytherin?" inquired Persephone.

"You could say that," deliberated Ginny, watching the shifting mass of students from her and Perse' cubbyhole in the wall.

There was a moment's pause, as the two got lost in their own thoughts of that night in the Forbidden Forest. Perse watched Ginny's profile interestedly.

"Harry's been watching you," she finally said.

"I know," snorted Ginny, "along with Ron and Hermione – they want to make sure that I don't go near Malfoy. In fact I'm surprised they haven't shipped in the rest of my brothers to watch my every waking moment!"

Persephone let her friend's anger wash over her. "No, I mean he watches you all the time. Even Ron doesn't do that. It's like when he's in the same room as you he can't keep his eyes off you."

Ginny let this wash over her for a bit, before laughter bubbled up. "I know what you're implying," she said, grinning, "but Harry Potter does not 'watch' me anymore than someone like Malfoy would. The moon goes round the earth and that's the natural order of things." Ginny smiled with absolutely no self-pity in her eyes, before turning and meandering through the throngs to their transfiguration class.

"You expect too little, and miss too much," muttered Persephone before following her. Darkened eyes followed her movements from a nearby doorway.

# # #

Harry stared into space, ignoring the occasional looking and pointing he received from the first-years, sometimes even the second years.

He, Ron and Hermione were tailing not only Ginny, but now the D.A.D.A professor as well. Hermione was convinced that there was something up with her as she apparently pulled nasty faces when Harry and Ron weren't watching. To his left, Ron was once again trying to persuade Hermione that professor Morgian was harmless and maybe it was only her imagination, needless to say he was failing miserably and really irritating the head girl at the same time.

He let his thoughts wander to Ginny – their other followee. Harry had found that when he was near her his eyes were drawn to her. He liked to watch the way she interacted with her friends, and the total modesty that she just emanated. Even when it looked as though she was bottling everything up, there was this vibrancy that shone through, dancing in her eyes and reflecting off her hair.

Harry knew that Persephone had seen him watching Ginny, even when it was obvious she wasn't going anywhere. _Just to make sure, _he reminded himself, _I only watch to make sure she's safe. _But he couldn't shake the feeling that Persephone, with her vivid eyes, saw much more than the obvious.

He tuned in to Ron and Hermione's conversation, which seemed to have taken an interesting twist.

"Ronald, I do not care what Lavender would look like!" replied Hermione, testily.

"Well, I just had to sit whilst you quoted every good part of Terry Boot and his talents at Arithmancy," Ron barked, gesturing heatedly.

"At least he has some brains! With Lavender you can practically see in one ear and out the other!" the brown-haired Gryffindor exclaimed.

"Got a bit off topic here?" Harry inquired mildly.

"Shut up!" both Ron and Hermione snarled collectively. Hermione had pink blotches dancing on her cheeks and Ron's ears had gone scarlet.

Not for the first time that week Harry decided he was happy that his two best friends so definitely liked each other, but he wished they could do it a little less painfully, for his sake.

# # #

As the time of the feast drew nearer, the younger years became more and more overexcited. In the Gryffindor common room alone there were Dungbombs, Flooding Frisbees and Crazy Cards – a more complicated equivalent of 'exploding snap' where the cards did any number of things from dancing and singing to crossword puzzles (a Weasley Wizard Wheezes best seller).

By the time it was ready to go, the common room had puddles, was singed in places and two packs of Crazy Cards had gone feral and were waging war against each other in the corner.

Hermione sighed long-sufferingly before cleaning the entire room with a wave of her wand.

The three seventh years walked companionably behind Persephone and Ginny down to the feast. Ginny's hair flickered in the passing torches as the darkness gathered. Harry thought that if he could save a moment of Ginny forever, it would be this one where she looked so happy, carefree and animated. The pessimistic thought that every day could be their last popped into his head because after all who knew what the future would bring, especially in troubled times such as their own. He shook these thoughts away anxiously.

As they sat down in the great hall, Hermione had a smug little smile plastered on her face; she knew what was about to happen, as did the prefects. Harry and Ron, on the other hand, did not.

Professor Dumbledore stood calmly at the front, rapidly commanding silence from the student body and the teachers save Professor Morgian who continued to talk at Snape.

"Welcome to another Halloween Feast, in some cases, your last." His eyes roved across Hermione, Ron and Harry and over the rest of the Hogwarts seventh years. "Before the feast starts you will all be given a piece of parchment with the details of the Christmas Ball on them." The hall exploded with chatter and whisperings, Dumbledore waited until they had quietened down. "You will also get a piece of parchment with 'Clue 1' emblazoned on the front. Do NOT show this to anyone else, this must be done individually. At the end of the feast you will receive a third, and final, piece of parchment that will say 'Clue 2' on it. This is the beginning of guessing who your date will be." Once again the hall erupted in whispering, giggling and, in some cases, apprehension.

"So why did we have to stay out of the hall from two?" Ron asked, appearing to be wondering out loud although his gaze was fixed firmly on Hermione. She tilted her head towards the doors of the hall, gesturing for them to watch.

Quite suddenly, they slammed open causing instant silence throughout the four tables. Fifteen or so witches on broomsticks with traditional pointed hats soared through and into the highest reaches of the impressive hall.

They moved in harmony with one another, showing formations and balances using each other's broomsticks. The muggle borns in the hall recognised it as an interesting equivalent to the muggle sport 'synchronised swimming' but it was fun for the entire hall (except the Slytherins who pretended to be heinously bored) to watch the aerobatics performed so high up with seemingly little fear.

"We had them practising in here since two o'clock," Hermione said, in answer to Ron's earlier question. "Good thing too – the first time they tried it two of them caught on fire from the floating candles."

# # #

Ginny studied her first clue in mystification.

'Hear the sound like missing, and confuse the sneak,'

_Oh, yes, that just clears everything up for me. Maybe the second clue will be clearer._

She stole a glance at Persephone who didn't appear to be doing any better than she was, Perse' brow was crinkled in concentration as she read and re-read the same line. The feast was very quiet whilst everyone tried to make sense of his or her clues.

Once their plates were cleared, everyone's second clue materialised where they were sitting. Ginny eagerly snatched hers up; restless to see whether this clue furthered her search.

She unfolded the piece of brown parchment carefully, the crinkles feeling ancient against her fingers.

'From the ashes on the first month and the second week.'

_I guess this won't be easy then…_

# # #

Draco sat in his private prefect room quite calmly, staring his clues into the table. No matter how many times he read them, he couldn't make the slightest bit of sense.

_This is so stupid; _his brain growled at him, _there are like a thousand more important things than a moronic ball._

He sent a cursory glance at the letter lying unfurled on his desk. His father had sent him a letter demanding his presence at the next deatheater meeting. Draco sighed before going to sit on his balcony overlooking the castle; this was his favourite thinking place.

At the end of his fifth year he had vowed to himself that, whatever else he did in his life, he would never follow the spectral path his father had. This was after he had come to terms with his parent's disposition towards him. He fought ice with ice. Although there would always be a the rudimentary bond between him and his mother and father of parents to son, no longer did he strive to impress them or, indeed, tell them anything about his life at all.

He knew it would be difficult and dangerous to extricate himself from the darkness that he had grown up around, but he had a will to live that would not be smothered by the Dark Lord and his minions. Draco was entirely determined to simply live his own life, and, as soon as possible, move away from England and the fear and danger that lingered from the blackened souls of past evils. There was no chance of being 'good' he scoffed to himself, _I'm not up for chasing a light I'll never catch, that's just plain stupid that is._

Draco supposed that the indifference shown towards him all his life by his parents had hardened his soul and frozen his heart. Until now that had not mattered to him, it got him through the days of fear and disgust shown by the other Hogwarts pupils. Now though, he could feel the tangible emotion that rolled off of one Miss. Ginevra Weasley, he could sense it resounding in his bones and ricocheting off his heart.

There had to be a way of closing the link between them, or at least lessening it a little, because if things continued the way they had he would feel his resolve thawing.

He had noticed Potter and co. keeping a very close eye on the littlest Weasley, and even from the Slytherin table it was obvious that it was annoying her no end. He wondered briefly whether she'd ever break and finally give the three of them a piece of her mind, but he knew from experience that her walls where high, thick and strong and for someone with that much emotion she sure bottled it up well.

Unconsciously reflecting Harry's thoughts of earlier, Draco speculated how Ginny managed to ooze the impression that what was on the surface was nothing in comparison to what was underneath.

Abruptly the sane part of him cut that train of thought off, and returned to wondering what to do about his father. He would probably have to tell Dumbledore. Draco resented letting people into his life, but in this case it was necessary if he wanted to make it out alive. That was the main motivation really, to look after himself and not to add to the swelling ranks of the Dark side.

On the other side of the castle Ginny sunk into a dream-filled sleep. Shadows danced around her bed, Halloween had given them form and purpose.


	13. Questions and Answers

Hello! This is your author speaking, sorry this one took so long! On the upside, it is the first of the 'long' chapters. I was finding with the shorter ones I lost my drift from one chapter to the next, so tell me if you think it's an improvement or not.  
  
Disclaimer: all J.K.Rowlings work, must add that a few characters do belong to me.  
  
Thanks go to anime-babygurl, puss in boots 119, ginny2442, vixenfairy27, Spiritsha Master and Actrez for your reviews. All questions will be answered in time :)  
  
Chapter 12 – Questions and Answers 

As soon as she entered her world of dreams she felt it, pattering through her consciousness like an unseen rat. Eyes on her back and rustlings followed her as she padded across the familiar fields to the stream. Suddenly the summer paradise had taken a ghostly turn, the sun beat hard into the land and threw up a heat haze around Ginny, pushing her in and enclosing her with its malevolence.

She travelled down the centre of the small rivulet, hopping from one heated stepping-stone to the next as weightlessly as a feather but the knowledge of being followed began to weigh her down.

Abruptly, Exquiseta appeared in front of her, next to her another tiny brown-haired fairy appeared also. Before Ginny could ask who it was, Exquiseta cut her off:

"We should not be here, it is not safe," her tiny green gilded eyes darted across the seemingly serene rolling hills. "This is Tibbony by the way, an apprentice Sleepsoarer from the Weathered Faes." The brown-haired Fae curtseyed respectfully.

Ginny smiled briefly in greeting before turning her attention back to Exquiseta. "What is it? Why do I feel as though I'm being followed?"

The fairy queen paused as though debating with herself on how much to tell Ginny. She danced nervously in the stilled and porous atmosphere. "They are known as the 'Shadowers'," she started, her tiny liquid voice straining to carry across the heated distance. "They haunt the Reverse Worlds as well as Resumbria. But only occasionally."

"Reverse Worlds?" interjected Ginny, making the connection. "I've heard of them, as well as the 'Inverse', but next to nothing is known of them?" She finished the sentence on a high note, the question hanging in the air.

The petite fairy snorted derisively. "Just like humans; know all about everything around them, but nothing about themselves." She shook her head. "Anyway, the 'Inverse' and the 'Shadowers' are different names for the same thing. Traditionally these are the dark side of the light, the yin to the yang, the bits of you that you spend your entire life trying to hide."

Ginny nodded in understanding, her all-to-real hair following her hair as if in parody. Again she felt her surroundings press in on her, alerting her to the immediate problem. "That's all very well, but doesn't explain why, or indeed what's, following me."

Exquiseta scowled at her tone before puffing herself up importantly, extending her queenly character across the distance. "Usually they are not separated from a person's consciousness," she explained, a hint of pompousness sneaking into her manner.

"It is dire circumstances when they do though," piped up the brown-haired, speaking for the first time. At Exquiseta's admonishing look for interrupting though she wilted into silence.

"Yes, dire indeed," continued the flame-haired queen, her green eyes flashing. "Strong magic must be at work." She paused anxiously, her conduct almost tangibly changing. "Of course they would arrive here first," the fairy added, watching the hills.

Ginny hesitated, feeling as though the question she was about to ask may be very self-explanatory, but somewhere down the line she'd missed something. "Why here again?"

Both Faes fixed their eyes on Ginny. "Because you're Resumbria is so vivid and vibrantly realistic, your imagination makes it a force to be reckoned with," she replied, simply.

"You mean everybody has a Resumbria which is unique to them?" Ginny asked, throwing the possibility of looking ignorant to the winds.

"Exactly," agreed Exquiseta. "For example, mine is the forest of my Winglinghood."

"Mine is always autumnal," interjected Tibbony before blushing profusely as they looked at her curiously.

"Winglinghood?" she inquired, her brow crinkled.

"The very early stages of a Fae's life," explained the queen quickly, waving her hand at the irrelevance of the question. "Now, as I was saying, your Resumbria is so solid and diverse that it is easy for and unpractised, or indeed practised, Sleepsoarer to be sucked in."

_Explains how Draco ended up in that nightmare about my family, _Ginny reflected. _I wonder how he got sucked in though – he's not a Sleepsoarer…_

However, Ginny turned her gaze to the hills that shimmered in the heat haze, the trees taking on the effect of doing the limbo. The feeling of eyes on her back was still there, lurking just outside her vision, and the sun continued to beat down but somehow the supposed heat did not penetrate her skin leaving her internally cold and shivering.

"Why are the Shadowers here now though?" she asked interrupting the fairies that had been whispering furiously to each other.

"Well," began Exquiseta, "they cannot be separated from a person whilst they are conscious. But when the mind is at rest, with the right spells they can roam separately. Generally this is not a problem, but they are spirits of imagination, so in places such as here they become real, tangible and ultimately dangerous."

"Who would know such spells though?" Ginny asked feeling a chill tickle down her spine.

"Only someone versed in very ancient magic," replied the Fae queen, "watch your back my little one," she whispered hovering restlessly on Ginny's eye-level, before kissing her cheek.

Abruptly Ginny was jerked into the land of the waking, torn unceremoniously from her dream by none other than a smug-looking Persephone and a (now empty) glass of water.

# # #

"Settle down! Settle down!" squeaked the tiny charms professor, jumping up and down and waving his arms vigorously.

Draco watched Flitwick's attempts to control the older years flail ineffectually around his waist. He caught Blaise' smirk out of the corner of his eye and suddenly felt like a third year again when image was everything and all he had to worry about was making other people look stupid.

Dumbledore stood up and total silence effortlessly descended upon the gathered sixth and seventh years.

"Tonight you will not need any parchment, we will have our first practical Dark Arts Comprehension lesson."

There was widespread muttering as everyone deposited his or her parchment and bags in a corner of the dungeon (the only place that had been big enough to hold all the students at one time, much to professor Snape's annoyance).

Dumbledore began speaking again. "We are going to practise blocking against muggle weapons. Although the side that Voldemort – there was a communal intake of breath – leads goes to great lengths to demonstrate their hatred for muggles, it will not stop them from fighting dirty with guns and knives. Therefore we must educate you," he stated gravely. "Could you please get into groups of four?"

Instantly the group of students separated and merged simultaneously, creating an almost dance-like effect to onlookers. They detached naturally into not only houses, but also years within houses, and friendship groups within years.

Ginny and Persephone were generally held as mysteries so were left alone and apart from the other students. The redhead cast her eye over the fellow Hogwarts students trying to pick out those without a group. The only (and obvious) were Malfoy and Zabini who had been given a wide berth by all the other students, Slytherins as well. Perse caught her eye and they both snorted with mildly hysterical giggles.

The two Slytherins strolled over, their faces as emotional as the cold dungeon walls they stood next to.

Ron started forward, to do what Ginny wasn't sure. Draco glared him into the ground but Ron didn't flinch, if it hadn't been for Hermione clinging determinedly to his arms there may have been a problem. Harry watched, an unreadable look on his face as he eyed Draco's proximity to Ginny.

The headmaster cleared his throat, effectively averting the pupil's attention away from the unlikely grouping of the two Slytherins and younger Gryffindors. "First we will learn basic self-defence. If you are ever stranded without your wand and need to defend yourself, these are the essentials you must remember. Faye?"

Professor Morgian walked to the front of the makeshift stage so that they could all see her. A man, who Ginny didn't recognise, trailed behind her, watching the student body shrewdly.

"This is Reuben," she introduced briefly. Reuben stood at at least six foot five behind her, his face shadowed but judging the gathered students. A collective chill went through them all as they watched his profile. "Firstly, we will teach you basic holds and how to get out of them." The professor then proceeded to explain and demonstrate a pin know as the 'Strangle Hold'. To Ginny it looked quite complicated as the professor literally flung the man, Reuben, around her shoulder from having his arm around her neck. She did it quite a few times and gradually Ginny began to understand the mechanics of the defensive move.

"Ok," finished the teacher, panting slightly as she was out of breath, "now you try. Remember; you have to drop your shoulder first then twist your hips."

Ginny turned to find herself face-to-chest with Malfoy. She tilted her head upwards, catching a glimpse of the grey inscrutability of his eyes. She suddenly became aware that this was an echo of the same position they'd been in when The Kiss had happened. Blushing she ducked her head and took a decent-sized step away from him. Ginny didn't miss the smirk that blew across his features briefly, like lightning, and paused to give a well-deserved glare.

"You're facing the wrong way," he told her, matter-of-factly.

"No, actually I believe that would be you," Ginny retorted, mock politely.

He snorted. "I don't think you would quite be able to reach my neck," he derisively replied.

She looked around, realising that her would-be-partner had been cornered by Zabini with a strangle hold. Ginny turned her eyes back to Draco and all his six-footness.

_Egad, I have to throw HIM?_

Before she had time to protest, or even run away, she felt his arm slide around her throat, holding her tightly in place against him. Ginny closed her eyes, feeling shivers compete up and down her spine abandoning her knees to a jelly-like state. _Get a grip, _she told herself. _This is Malfoy._

"Now you're meant to do something," whispered Draco's voice in her ear, disturbing the tiny, sensitive hairs and adding to the already riotous trembling.

_Ok, focus! Come on Ginny; imagine how good it will feel to have him on his back at my feet. Ok, ok, need to pull his arm in order to breathe._

Ginny tugged the limb that was around her neck at the elbow, moving her chin into the crook of his arm thereby freeing her theoretically blocked airways.

_That wasn't too difficult, so far so good. Ok, now drop the shoulder, twist the hips and kind of stick my bum out at a weird angle…_

She jerked her shoulder forwards at the same time as her hips went in the opposite direction and Draco… stayed exactly where he was. He didn't budge an inch. Ginny could imagine the smirk that was forming on his features without even looking; she narrowed her eyes in annoyance. A quick glance around the dungeon showed that no one else was faring any better. Hannah Abbott had managed to dislodge Neville but then he had tripped and landed on top of her, knocking the air from her lungs. Ginny rolled her eyes.

Once again she tried the defensive move, imitating the professor and once again Malfoy stayed exactly where he was, making Ginny feel rather stupid.

_I guess I'll just always have to hang onto my wand._

Draco stood impassively, the earlier amusement fading into something else. The diminutive Weasley's attempts to extricate herself from him were awakening something he didn't even know he possessed. He'd always been taught appreciation for the finer things in life, and the Weasleys certainly weren't one of them, but the girls squirming against his waist was connecting with something raw and primal within him. In other words she was making him want things he'd never properly understood before and it was becoming painfully obvious in the lower part of his body. On the other hand though, his pride wouldn't let her throw him and wouldn't let him walk away, so Draco was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Pun unintended.

"Is this the best you can do Little Weasel?" he inquired, the distaste in his tone slipping in naturally, Draco was unable to stop it.

She froze against him, and he could sense her irritation and growing anger. "I didn't ask for this Malfoy," she hissed in answer.

Ginny paused with her struggling to think, apparently the basic technique wasn't enough; she also needed a strategy. The effect of being this close to his body were beginning to take its toll on her brain, she felt all fuzzy, as though someone had stuffed cotton wool in her ears, only allowing her to see and hear him. Gradually Ginny became aware of hardness pressing into her lower back, and once the thought process had gone through her mind her face coloured, the heat from it spiking down her body. Then a plan popped into her head, strangely fully-formulated, as if part of her brain had been waiting for this moment for its completion.

Slowly Ginny turned and tilted her head until she had a clear view of Malfoy's neck, then simultaneously blew very gently on it, distracting him, and bought the heel of her foot down very sharply and precisely on his toes. Then rapidly dropped her shoulder, cocked her hip and successfully swung him round onto the ground.

The redhead looked down into his shocked orbs, noting that he looked very sweet when he was dazed. She glanced up, her eyes locking with Persephone's and they shared a smirk. Apparently something similar had happened there also because Blaise was also on his back looking incredibly confused and bewildered.

They met at the door leaving the grounded Slytherins without so much as a glance, linking arms both girls took a moment to bask in their triumph.

"Tough day?" inquired Perse, her eyes sparkling.

"Very," agreed Ginny grinning happily, not noticing the number of eyes that followed their progress from the dungeon.

# # #

The next day was Saturday, and the second Hogsmeade trip of the term. Ginny and Persephone wrapped up warm, scarves and warm woollen robes. Both of them were prepared for the possible Slytherin wrathful revenge after the display at the Dark Arts Comprehension lesson the day previous. However, they made it all the way to the horseless carriages without encountering either the Slytherin sixth years or, indeed, the golden triplet.

Persephone was quicker than Ginny because she sat on it, and had to extract the crumpled form from the carriage seat. 'Clue 3' was proclaimed on the front, Ginny sighed wearily, before curiosity took over and she began to unfold the creased parchment.

It read, 'Reminds you of fire, his second name too'.

Without even bothering to make sense of it she stuffed it in her pocket for later reflection. Perse did the same and they eyed each other from the opposite ends of the carriage. There were two pops and two more letters appeared next to both of them. Persephone picked up the one next to her inquisitively, before quickly putting it down.]

"It's for Dean," she explained to Ginny, who had already guessed, as the letter next to her had been labelled 'Seamus Finnegan'.

There were two more pops and two more pieces of parchment appeared on the other side of the girls.

"Jeez, how many are they planning to fit in this compartment?" Ginny exclaimed to the world in general. But the name on the letter stopped her breath sharply.

'Draco Malfoy'

She met her black-haired friend's eyes and they both grimaced anxiously.

# # #

After the opening and reading of the clues the six students had just sat in silence, the atmosphere practically simmering with unspoken emotion.

"What do you want to do when we get to Hogsmeade?" inquired Seamus, attempting to break the deadlock. Ginny bristled slightly at the assumption that her and Persephone would be automatically going with Seamus and Dean.

"Who says they're even going with you?" asked Draco, coldly.

Ginny looked at him sharply, trying to gauge his emotion from his face. This was about as easy as trying to eat peas with a knife.

"Well its not like they'd be going with you, is it?" scoffed Dean disdainfully.

"I think the choice is up to them," Blaise replied sharply

Ginny and Persephone looked backwards and forwards, feeling as though they were watching a very competitive tennis match.

Seamus put his arm around her shoulders possessively in the silence that followed, to her left she felt Draco stiffen in irritation though his face gave nothing away.

_What the hell is going on here?_

"So what do you want to do when we get to Hogsmeade?" she asked Persephone, echoing Seamus, a mischievous smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Lots of shopping I think," Perse replied, her smirk mirroring Ginny's. "I think we'll go and try on lots and lots of robes."

"Good idea," agreed the redhead. "Then we can go get manicures or something."

Out of the corner of her eye she could see the boys looking less and less enthusiastic. Except for Draco, his eyes were darkened and he was watching her intently.

The awkward silence descended again. Ginny fiddled with the ends of her long hair, absently thinking that she should probably get it cut.

"So, Gryffindor for the cup this year?" Seamus tried again, but he said it more as a statement than a question, confident that he would get support.

"Tell me Finnegan, are you capable of interesting conversation?" asked the blonde Slytherin, eyeing the arm that was still firmly around Ginny's shoulders darkly.

"Yes, unlike some people, I can actually hold an entire conversation with my friends about non-dark arts related stuff," the Gryffindor retorted hotly.

"I don't like what you're implying," hissed Draco, his silver eyes flashing dangerously.

"We're here!" squeaked Ginny from between the two irate seventh years; she practically fled the compartment trailing Persephone behind her into the milky sunlight of a wintry Hogsmeade.

# # #

That evening Persephone and Ginny sat in their dormitory, viewing their new purchases. Ginny had a new black bra with detachable straps that went different colours depending on the wearer's mood. Perse had a new pair of jeans for weekend wear that were a one-size-fits-all – they shrunk or grew depending on who was wearing them.

The two girls mostly talked about what had happened in the compartment on the way there though. Persephone was confused because she was already torn between the Ravenclaw James and Dean, adding Blaise to the mix was just too chaotic. Ginny was unsure because sometimes she got hate vibes off Draco, other times it was quite the opposite, although the link was still there it seemed to becoming dulled and she didn't know why.

"Think of how mad my brother would go if I went with Malfoy though," Ginny said, laughing. "It would be worth it just to see the look on his face."

Persephone smiled. "So you definitely aren't a member of the Harry fan club anymore?"

"Nope," agreed Ginny, finding a brush and running it absently through her hair. "Harry was like a lesson for me, I don't think I'll ever let anyone hurt me as much as he did. The sad thing is he couldn't even help it." Her eyes ticked to their reflection in the darkened window. "No, Harry is a part of my past that is unchangeable but is also something I'll never voluntarily unearth again."

"Think it's time for bed," Perse reflected, deftly plaiting and unplaiting Ginny's long fiery hair. The youngest Weasley smiled at the gesture of familiarity before nodding in agreement.

"Yes, lights out."

# # #

The difference was tangible. As soon as she arrived she could tell there was someone there who had not been properly invited. They were out of sight, but not out of her mind.

She could sense them, not with hearing, sight or smell, but she knew they were near her.

Without warning an arm snaked around her neck squeezing her airways and pulling her flush against them.


	14. Blood out of a Stone

Remember: A reviewed writer is a happy writer. A happy writer is a fast writer. :)   
  
A/n: thanks go to Lady-Nimoe one of my loyal reviewers :), jeeths as well, seeyahiya and dsjgs. Thank you very much for your reviews, much much appreciated.  
  
Hope you enjoy this chapter as well.   
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing, as usual, you know how it goes.   
  
Chapter 13 - Blood out of a stone 

Instead of struggling – which was her first natural instinct – Ginny relaxed into the person and closed her eyes.

_It's the world that moves, not me…_

Untouchable threads unravelled and the familiar re-winding of them took her away from the pressure around her neck. Opening her eyes she found herself only a little way from where she was and spun to meet the intruder.

Unfathomable grey orbs stared back at her curiously, taking her in and swallowing her up.

"What the _hell?" _came the predictable reply.

Completely ignoring the question, she turned away from him. "You shouldn't be here."

"It's not really like I had a choice was it?" he bit back, the familiar defence mechanism of shortness kicking in. "Want to clear stuff up for me? Like How I got here, why I'm here and where in fact here is?"

"Resumbria," Ginny snapped, her patience thinning as her anxiety grew. The unseen watchers were back, and their eyes burnt into her back with malice. "Look you shouldn't be here, it's too dangerous."

Draco bristled at the implication that he was incapable of facing anything that she could. "Then why are you here?" he shot back.

Her laugh tinkled through the air, and for a brief, fleeting second he felt a tiny tremor of fear snake through him. Sometimes the youngest Weasley could be a little terrifying. "I'm here because this is mine. My world, my haven, my rules." She looked directly at him then.

_So this is the Ginny she hides inside, this is what she doesn't let the world see. _And what a sight it was, the tiny wisp of a girl in front of him practically crackled with energy and confidence, it was stunning and intimidating, beautiful and humbling. It took Draco back to that fateful train journey where he learnt there was more to life than him, there were other people who could take his life by storm.

Draco could feel the link they shared more strongly than ever in this 'world'. What had she called it? _Resumbria. _He had a feeling of belonging but at the same time an unshakeable extraneous air. It was obviously her world though, the vividness, the colour, all of it was a part of her personality that he had only managed to glimpse once. And god, did he want to see it again.

"Look," she started calmly, but her voice wavered almost inaudibly, giving away to Draco the nervousness. Whether at his presence or at something in the world around them he didn't know. "If you must know I am a Sleepsoarer, meaning I can manipulate my dreams. And suck people in. Such as you." She paused, as though thinking what to say next, Ginny studied him sternly. "Here is different to the 'real' world, it's built on conceptions. But you can still hurt. You can still die."

Draco imagined he looked pretty stupid, what with his mouth hanging open and all. And Malfoys didn't _do_ stupid. Shaking himself back to reality, or well, wherever this place was he replied, "Out of all the people's dreams to get stuck in, I had to fall into yours didn't I?"

Instantly the Slytherin regretted the harsh rhetorical question because Ginny turned sharply away from him, refusing to meet his eyes. _She has to know there's no chance for us, she has to know it can never happen, _his mind chanted, but his heart still hurt beneath the thinned layers of ice.

"Just thought you should know," she muttered, turning away. She walked a little distance, and from this angle her body came into sharp focus for him. Either this dream world accentuated stuff like that or there was a lot of little Ginny Weasley that was hid very well within her loose school robes. Not big-busted by any stretch of the imagination, her figure was still neat and delicate, the curves feminine and not sharply angular in the same way as her brothers. She had a hint of cat-like grace in her walk that Draco concluded was probably hidden by nervousness at school. Suddenly he found himself staring into brown spheres, framed with a dark green; the power was back, perceptibly around his 'being'.

"Now," said the little girl, snapping her fingers. "The third time I snap my fingers you will be gone." A smirk that Draco recognised as quite reminiscent of his own danced around her mouth, she snapped her fingers again. "See you at school," she whispered. The Slytherin wasn't sure whether she licked her lips absently, or on purpose to bring his attention to them, but either way he was filled with a strong desire to kiss her stupid. _We could never be together…_

Ginny's fingers snapped for the last time. The familiar grey stone ceiling of his green themed bedroom stared back at him as though defying the dream he just had.

He still wanted to kiss her again.

# # #

Lydia's blonde hair stood out sharply against the background, she was easy to track through the air. In fact, with Persephone's black locks and Ginny's fiery ones, the chasers were all easy to spot, which made their tactics seamlessly elegant.

As the wind whipped her hair, Ginny dived and dodged, feeling the freedom of flight course through her blood and pump in her veins. This sensation was irreplaceable, much like falling in love was. At the moment it felt as though both were happening at once to her.

A bludger skimmed her left leg, jerking her back to reality. If she kept thinking about the dream visit she'd be unbroomed.

"Sorry about that!" called Seamus from high above her, genially glancing the bludger towards one of the Hufflepuff players. Ginny waved her arm, showing it didn't matter, before tearing after Persephone who had just managed to intercept the quaffle from a dark blonde Hufflepuff.

The Hufflepuffs were surprisingly good at defensive moves, considerably better than they were at attacking. They formed a blockade in front of Perse, meaning that she'd either have to pass and risk having the quaffle seized or she'd have to double back on herself. In a moment of genius Ginny zoomed beneath her, barely signalling for the quaffle, but Perse knew her well enough to drop it sharply and fluently to the redhead.

In this way Ginny successfully made it passed the chaser blockade but the goalkeeper immediately closed in, disallowing Ginny at any opening for the three goal hoops. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a familiar gold-blonde and took a leap of faith by shooting the quaffle straight to it. Lydia caught the ball with ease and with an empty goal she easily scored.

The Gryffindors erupted, making as much noise as was physically possible. Ginny passed a grin at her fellow chasers; they were winning thirty to nothing thanks to the speed and quick thinking of whole team. Now all Harry had to do was catch the snitch and they'd be set.

# # #

Ron and Hermione were bickering as usual.

"Look Hermione, just _watch_ the match and stop worrying about the colour scheme for the ball, whether or not the Headprat will finish the paper in time or what McGonagall will say when she sees your plans for the Christmas feast," exclaimed Ron, fully aware that he was asking for the near impossible.

"He is not the Headprat," blustered the brunette in what would have been scolding, had her eyes not been sparkling with mirth.

"Whatever," muttered Ron, watching the quidditch game with perhaps too much attention.

Trying as he might he couldn't ignore the fidgeting of the girl – no, young woman – next to him. If she didn't stop soon he'd have to hold her still. The thought of this sent illicit shivers down his spine.

It was crazy really, after nearly seven years of friendship his best friend was still the one. He trusted her, loved her and by god was she one of the most beautiful people he'd ever met. Would ever meet.

Hermione was the one person, besides Harry of course, who would step up and tell him what she thought, when he was wrong (which was quite a lot of the time according to her) and what was right. _A pity then, _he reflected, _that I can't step up and tell her exactly what I think of her._

He was scared, no, terrified, that she would run for the hills. The last thing he ever wanted was for her to push him away. He wouldn't be able to survive, part of him lived and breathed just for her. Ron was more certain now than he'd ever been that she was his missing part, the other half to him, but although he was proud to say he knew her inside out, he just couldn't tell what she felt for him. Whether it was just friendship or something more. He prayed for the latter.

He cast a momentary glance at her out of the corner of his eye. She was watching the match studiously, _just as meticulously as she reads those books of hers. _He smiled at the memories he had of her – and there were a fair few! Their relationship had progressed from first year when she had been so keen to prove herself, so eager to show the world what she was capable of, to now. Seven years later she had not only shown the world but she had sent ripples through the wizarding community.

A green stripe in Charms at sixteen, a purple in Potions at seventeen, and of course the brown in Transfiguration. She had shattered the mould the muggle-borns were always put in, and he couldn't be prouder of her if he tried.

_What, then, _said a little voice in his head, _would someone of her intellect see in an oaf like you? What could you ever offer her?_

This was the depressing buffer that his train of thought usually ended on, leaving him pessimistic and less prepared to tell her how he felt than ever.

"Ron!" the object of his thoughts cried loudly in his ear, shooting to standing. "Harry, look!"

Ron rose to stand beside her watching Harry anxiously. He was in a vertical dive, heading straight for the ground.

# # #

Persephone meandered along the third floor corridor. From this side of the castle there was a clear view of the lake and surrounding trees, it was quite a spectacular view. A ring of frost bordered the glass, making the scene look like something out of a postcard.

Perse stopped to admire the setting. She was meant to be meeting James Radrow in less than ten minutes, but she was early as it was and near her destination. She felt, rather than saw, him rest against the window ledge next to her.

Looking up into impenetrable dark eyes she inwardly sighed.

"Well done in the match," Blaise started, opting to turn away from her burning blue eyes and stare unseeingly at the Hogwarts grounds.

"Thanks," replied Persephone offhandedly.

Her mind was going a thousand miles an hour. What was he doing here? Why did he always pick her out? There were throngs of girls hanging on his look, his every word, why must he always be drawn to her.

Although she didn't make a habit of listening to the cheap gossip of fellow sixth years it was difficult to miss the obvious favourites among the girls. She even agreed with some of them.

Harry Potter, of course, was a number one, then Draco Malfoy in all his cold glory; Terry boot was also sought after as attractive. _There must be something about the head boy power that attracts girls, _Persephone thought to herself.

Blaise Zabini and Ron Weasley were on about the same even footing. Blaise because of his dark looks and darker disposition, the Gryffindor individually couldn't see what was so exciting about that but apparently everyone else could. Ron Weasley was renowned, on the other hand, for a complete opposite reason. He was known as being soft, gentle and friendly. The type of guy who could be taken home to meet parents without worry. Perse agreed whole-heartedly with this but knew if she so much as voiced it to Ginny, her friend would go mad.

She threw a quick look at the tall Slytherin before promptly deciding that she needed to meet James. She should stay away from the Slytherins anyway. They were always bad news.

She turned to step around him and walk away but found that he stayed with her.

"Why won't you talk to me? What have I done to deserve this coldness?" he asked, sounding disgustingly plaintive, even to himself.

"Ha," snorted the black-haired Gryffindor, "and you being the master of coldness."

Blaise chose to ignore this comment. "In all technicalities I should be the one who is pissed-off with you. After all I was the one on my back in front of the rest of the year."

"You pounced on me in the first place," retorted Persephone, defensively. Silence descended between them until Blaise moved around to block her increasingly fast walk. "Out of my way Zabini," she hissed trying to move around his broad figure. He mirrored her steps, making it impossible. She finally gave up, "What do you want?"

The answer was not one she had wanted.

# # #

Ginny sat comfortably in the corner of the library on her own. She was meant to be finishing her Divination homework, but she thought she'd wait until Persephone got back from meeting with Ravenclaw James (she'd never found out his last name, so he had been christened Ravenclaw James) because divination was her best subject and she'd be able to help.

Well to be honest she'd actually given up on her homework a while ago, instead bringing out her clues for her date to the ball so far.

'_Hear the sound like missing and confuse the sneak,_

_From the ashes on the first month and the second week,_

_Reminds you of fire, his second name too,'_

After a few seconds of complete confusion, she decided to start on the first line and work downwards as that would make the most sense.

A sound like missing… Ginny had no idea what that meant. But 'confuse the sneak' could mean like an anagram or something. An anagram of sneak? Maybe…

Out of the corner of her eye she caught a flash of silver blonde hair and all thoughts were immediately driven from her mind. Her heart skipped a couple of beats until she realised that it was simply the way the light from the high windows reflected off another student's hair. Their hair was actually dark blonde, not the woven silky platinum of Draco's.

_I should not be thinking about his hair._

But it was too late, the first seeds of Draco-thought had been sown and her mind naturally turned to consider him. Ginny remembered clearly how Harry used to make her feel, when she was near him; the familiar chest constriction, dry mouth, shaking hands and when she wasn't with him, she wondered what he was doing. Whether he ever thought of her.

That all-consuming crush was different to what was slowly kindling within her for the Slytherin prince himself. _I can sure pick 'em can't I?_

Of course there was the familiar awareness of the link that told her where he was and sometimes she could pick up when he was feeling strongly, thankfully though the strange channelling thing that had gone on for a while had ebbed away. But there was also something else.

No matter how much she tried to deny it, Ginny could feel her insides light up when she saw him and the nervous apprehension before she knew she'd be near him. She had tried to suppress her feelings, but once she acknowledged them they only became stronger. Draco didn't make it easy for her though; he was mean, arrogant, egotistical… _why do I like him again?_

_Because he can also be protective, self-sacrificial and there has to be more to him than what he shows on the surface._

He was like a puzzle that she couldn't crack, but would keep trying anyway because theoretically it would all be worth the effort.

The similarity between this beginning of a new feeling (she wouldn't let herself say crush) and what she used to harbour for Harry was that she often wondered how Draco saw her. If he ever saw her properly, or whether he was just like every other person, save Persephone, who simply assumed that there was nothing more to quiet little Ginny Weasley than what was on the outside.

She growled in frustration, wondering where Perse was when she wanted to rant. Maybe she'd run away and become a nun, that would solve her problems.

Ginny wrinkled her freckled nose in scepticism, like that would ever happen.

# # #

It had been accident, he knew it had been, but he couldn't stop himself. He just wanted to lose himself entirely in her body, in her luxurious hair, in her soft inviting lips, and make the whole world disappear until there was just the two of them.

He knew that it shouldn't be happening, but his heart didn't give a toss. A deep buried part of him was slowly awakening, warming, stretching and flexing its muscles to fight for the smoulder, to fan the flames.

He felt her waist beneath his fingertips, sliding down to her hips, deepening the kiss. She reacted in like, leaning into him, moulding to his frame, suffocating the air between them. A deep-rooted groan worked its way up his throat to echo around the private bubble they'd created, a sound of subservience signifying her effect on him. Never in his life had he dreamed of showing vulnerability to someone, but she didn't take advantage, instead bearing herself to him in return.

Not being shot down in flames. One little girl was proving everything his parents had drilled into him as wrong.

Such thoughts were expelled from his brain as easily as air when her hands began to draw tiny circles on his neck, making his knees go weak and tremble. In answer he increased the pressure on her lips, exploring her mouth gently, taking all of her in.

Gradually the passion began to take over from the caution. He pulled her closer than seemed humanly possible, pressing her back against the wall. His hands travelled with a mind of their own down from her hips lower down her thighs, his mouth simultaneously ducking beneath her chin to lavish her neck, gently at first, seeking her pulse point.

Still, the passion built, against him he felt her wriggle in protest against where his hands were going. From there it was downhill. Apparently this small movement of protest jerked her back to where she was and whom she was kissing.

He found himself pushed sharply away, letting her dart away from him, a now-'safe' distance between them. He felt the loss of her instantly.

The firelight danced in her eyes, he saw terror, wonder and betrayal fighting for victory. There was a moment of silence when what just happened began to sink into them, the meaning and the consequences.

With a flash of crystal blue eyes she turned on her heel and ran away, leaving him to wonder where it had gone wrong.


	15. People in Glass Houses

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A/n: thanks go to Lady-Nimoe, Victoria27, ginny2442, Skygazing and Actrez - you guys rock. Your reviews make it all worth writing!  
  
Sorry about the wait for this one but I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing, as usual, you know how it goes.  
  
Chapter 14 – People in Glass Houses

Persephone had arrived back at the room in a great frenzy.

The first thing she'd done had been to meticulously tidy all the belongings on the floor into neat piles. Then she reordered the books in the bookcase, first alphabetically, then chronologically, and she was just about to start doing them by number of pages when Ginny finally managed to persuade her into talking about it.

Once Ginny had torn her away from the bookcase and was suitably content that she didn't keep glancing at it, she resolved to discover the problem.

"So what exactly happened on your meeting with James?" Ginny asked apprehensively.

"Oh no!" gasped Perse, clapping a hand over her mouth, "I _completely _forgot about him." She bit her lip nervously.

"Hang on, you never saw him?" the red head asked in confusion. "What have you being doing for the last half an hour?"

"Blaise Zabini," Persephone muttered darkly. She quickly described what had happened in the hallway to Ginny.

The red-haired Gryffindor plopped herself down on her bed in amazement. "So he just kissed you? Just like that?"

"Yup," agreed Persephone, arranging herself cross-legged on the other end of the bed from Ginny.

"Well, what are you going to do about it?" Ginny asked cracking open a tube of Drooble's Best Bubble Blowing Gum and offering one to Persephone.

"Avoid him for awhile?" asked Perse taking a purple piece and popping it into her mouth.

"Why don't you like him that much?" inquired Ginny, chewing thoughtfully.

"He's Slytherin for a start!"

"They're not all that bad," defended the redhead. Perse eyed her suspiciously.

"Are we talking about Mr. Malfoy here? Because personally I think he is that bad," asserted Persephone.

"He did save my life, and so did Blaise, which means they can't be all evil. There must be some good beneath all the posturing." Ginny upheld, knowing that, had someone told her she'd be standing up for Slytherins a month ago, she'd have laughed in their face.

Persephone blew a bubble big enough to engulf her entire face before sealing it off with her tongue and letting it float around the dormitory. There was a moment's pause whilst they both watched it

"They may not be evil," conceded the black-haired girl. She looked out of the window, where the bubble had just floated. "But they know more than they should about both of us."

Even at Ginny's questioning look she refused to explain further.

# # #

Ginny was having one of 'those' mornings. She'd been back to the dormitory twice already, the first time because she forgot her socks, the second time because she'd forgotten her tie, and then she'd got almost to the hall and realised it was actually Tuesday instead of Monday and she had all the wrong books. Hence the third (and hopefully final) trip back to the sixth year girl's room.

At this rate she'd never have any breakfast.

As she left the room she did a quick mental inventory that this time she definitely had everything. Satisfied, she half jogged, half ran, in the direction of the Great Hall, hoping that Professor Sprout wouldn't be too annoyed that she'd be late for Herbology. Again.

Her fast trajectory course and mind-on-other-things guided her straight into the last student leaving the Great Hall at great speed.

Everything went everywhere. It would have been quite spectacular to watch had she not been the one who it was all going to come down on.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!" _cried a familiar voice from above her head.

Incredibly, all the implements that were presently in an arc about to crash painfully onto the stone floor, just stopped and hung in midair, like a very clever juggling act.

She took the proffered pale hand and clambered to a standing position.

"Thanks Malfoy," she muttered. Ginny hated feeling indebted to him.

"You're welcome Weasley," he drawled sending a tiny, inexplicable, quiver down her spine. "Next time, the suggestion is to a) slow down, and b) actually look where you're going."

She nodded mutely, gathering the suspended book and pencils and packing them more securely into her bag. Ginny noted a top seam had split. She would have to remember that for later, after she actually got to Herbology.

Draco watched her collect the scattered items attentively, noting her hair had fallen out of the regular pony tail and was hanging loosely about her ears and to her shoulders. He rustled a bit of paper out of his pocket and held it out for her, waiting for her to notice.

She took it curiously, questioning him with her eyes.

"It's for you," he assured. He noticed that her shoulder school bag had dragged up the side of the skirt so that an almost indecent amount of thigh was exposed. Well, not that much if he was honest, but enough to get the blood pumping a bit faster round his body.

_This is stupid – what is this girl doing to me?_

Without a word he just turned and began to walk away.

"Wait!" cried Ginny. He stopped. "How did you get my clue?"

"A little birdie gave it to me," he smirked before disappearing down the hall even though half of him wanted to go back and kiss her stupid but it wasn't right, it couldn't happen.

Ginny followed him with her eyes before flicking her eyes back to the page in her hand.

'_Appears to be many options, but for him there are too few'_

She sighed; this morning was just improving all the time. She stuffed the parchment irritatedly in her pocket and then remembered Herbology.

"Oh, _shit."_

# # #

Blaise watched Draco from the opposite side of the abandoned common room. The artificially lit shadows danced across his darkened face whilst he watched his friend watch him. Finally, Draco spoke.

"So what exactly are you saying?"

"I'm saying she's a Seer," repeated Blaise, running tapered fingers through his thick black hair.

"Yes," snorted the blonde derisively, "I understand that bit, surprisingly. What I'm asking is how you know?"

The dark-haired Slytherin coloured slightly at the recollection that ran through his mind in vivid detail. "Well, you see, I kissed her." He smiled as his eyes tracked the memory over the ceiling. "I saw her fear, her dread of seeing, but I also saw her power, glowing and merging, coalescing and burning. She let me see." He sighed deeply to himself. "It was mind-blowing," he added, a slightly star-crossed lover look appearing in his pupils.

Draco snorted and rolled his eyes.

"So she can see the future, big deal. There has to have been plenty of students that have come to Hogwarts that can see the future," Draco dismissed, praying for no more soppy I-love-her talk.

"Not as many as you'd think," replied Blaise, knowing full well that his love babbling really pissed Draco off. A slight smirk danced at the corner of his lips. At the blonde's inquiring look he continued; "I checked the library, there has only been two other proper Seers in the whole of Hogwarts history."

Draco waved an arm for him to continue and internally wondered why he always ended up with library crawlers as friends. Crabbe and Goyle only earning the title because they went there to sleep, in fact he hadn't seen them for ages, he supposed this was because he no longer went out of his way to be mean to Gryffindors and assert his Slytherin princeship.

Blaise slid a book on the table nearer to him and flicked it open casually. "First, of course, was Rowena Ravenclaw who founded the Divination, Arithmancy and Ancient Runes classes at Hogwarts. Then was a young woman named Amelia Sloane who attended Hogwarts from 1902 until 1909, she returned to the castle in 1925 and took up the post of Divination professor until she disappeared in 1939." He looked up to see what Draco's expression showed.

"Yes, that's all very well, but what's the point you're trying to make here?" he asked impatiently.

"That they're very rare, so therefore would be an asset to both sides of the war."

Draco chewed this over. "You reckon Dumbledore knows?"

"I thought you hated him," replied Blaise snapping the book shut.

"No, I just dislike being preached to. There's a difference."

"Whatever," shrugged Blaise and their conversation dissolved into silence as it was often wont to.

Neither of them noticed a flickering shadow across the opposite wall, or heard the muffled sound of the common room door opening and closing, both too lost in their own thoughts on their present situation.

# # #

Harry watched Persephone and Ginny whisper and talk in the corner. Hermione was off on head girl duties and Ron was massacring Colin Creevey at chess in the corner, which left Harry free for some unaccustomed time to himself.

Ginny unexpectedly burst into laughter after something Persephone had whispered, drawing looks from around the common room. Looks, and smiles, Harry noted.

The change in the youngest Weasley since the beginning of term was incredible. Ron hadn't noticed it because she would always be his youngest sister, regardless. Hermione had though, and the week before had commented about it to Harry.

"She's grown up pretty fast hasn't she?"

That sentence echoed around his head, frequently driving away any other thoughts.

She'd have to grow up _very_ fast indeed if what he'd been told on the first day of Hogwarts was true.

Professor McGonagall had warned Hermione and him at the beginning of the year that there had been rumours from the Dark side that Voldemort remembered Ginevra Weasley. Rumours that he wanted a queen. Rumours he wanted an heir.

Harry knew they should have told Ron, but he would have flipped and never let Ginny out of his sight which would only result in her drifting further from them than before. So they had resolved to watch her, make sure she was safe.

But then what could really happen to her at Hogwarts?

A lot, he knew this from experience.

He felt Ginny's eyes on him and realised he'd been staring a little too long. He caught her look of questioning before turning back to speak to Persephone. Harry studied the Gryffindor room hangings diligently feeling embarrassed.

_She's only Ron's little sister, nothing to be embarrassed about. _But, try as he might, he couldn't see her that way anymore.

"You look like someone caught in the larder," announced Ron, slumping bonelessly next to Harry on the sofa looking very pleased with himself.

"Really?" inquired Harry warily. "Well I can assure you I haven't."

Ron shrugged. "Do you know what time Herm's getting back from the meeting with the head prat?"

Harry felt it was his civic duty to channel Hermione. "You know Hermione doesn't like you calling him that. But eight, I think."

There was a companionable pause while both friend's minds drifted to other things.

"Have you worked out who you have for the ball yet?" Ron asked interestedly.

"Nope," Harry replied raising an eyebrow. "But I reckon it's someone rotten. You?"

Ron shook his head as well. "It's not like they exactly made it easy for us is it. Y'know I bet it was the Sorting Hat who wrote them. He likes riddles."

Harry wondered absently whether the Sorting Hat actually had a sex at all. He went back to watching Ginny out of the corner of his eye.

# # #

Although Ginny hadn't felt tired at all, and had only gone to bed because Persephone had, she fell asleep almost as soon as her head the pillow. Disallowing her any time whatsoever to think about Draco.

Exquiseta was waiting for her in Resumbria, impatience written all over her tiny face.

"You know I've been projecting Mirabella and Patience into your dreamland for way over the recommended time?" she exclaimed.

Ginny managed to school herself so she didn't flinch. Much.

"Sorry," she muttered, although she wasn't entirely sure what she was apologising for.

Patience bobbed and floated happily, spinning occasionally as though marvelling at the world around her. Mirabella, on the other hand, looked stern and mirrored the fairy queen's posture carefully. A slight smile tugged at Ginny's mouth at the sight of them.

"We are leaving the Forbidden Forest," the red-haired queen announced.

Ginny's eyes widened, she hadn't been expecting this.

"Yes," said Exquiseta, seeing her look of mild shock, "the banshees have left. We do not know why, but you no longer need us to protect you."

Ginny nodded. "Thank you so much for doing all you have up until now, I am so grateful," she replied. Then, in true fairy custom, she curtsied low before the three fairies.

Exquiseta smiled and curtsied to Ginny as well. "However, we are a little worried about the abrupt change in circumstances, so we will not leave you entirely on your own."

Ginny cocked her head curiously.

Patience floated forwards, her hair almost black in the summer sun. Out of the folds of her light green leaf skirt she produced a tiny ring. Ginny held out her hand, fingers splayed and Patience placed it gently in the centre of her palm. As they watched it grew to almost twice its original size.

"This is a Fairy Ring," explained Patience quietly landing delicately on Ginny's hand next to the ring. "Wear it all the time and we'll always be able to find you." She knelt on the bends of Ginny's fingers and kissed the swirling onyx embedded on the curve of the ring, then she floated to Ginny's eye level and placed another tiny kiss on her forehead, with that, she vanished.

Ginny looked at the ring inquisitively turning it over in her fingers, feeling the soothing magic it radiated before resolutely slipping it on her right index finger.

Mirabella came forwards next. From the folds of her dress she produced something very small, but very shiny. Again it was placed on Ginny's palm and began to grow.

It was a diminutive mirror almost four times the size of the ring. There was a slim border with leaves and petals inlaid into it, framing the reflective surface of the mirror.

"This is a Wish Mirror," Mirabella explained matter-of-factly. "If you are ever lost and wish to find your way, this will guide you. All you ever have to do is ask."

She smiled a tiny smile before daintily kissing Ginny's nose before disappearing just as Patience had.

Ginny looked up to find Exquiseta regarding her gravely. "The Shadowers still stalk these lands," she warned, "be careful at all times." Ginny nodded, grateful for the concern.

Exquiseta produced something indistinguishably rectangular from her voluptuous rose petal skirts. Ginny held out her hand expectantly but Exquiseta shook her head. "For this you'll need two hands." She obeyed, internally wondering.

The rectangular shape grew and grew until it rested full across both Ginny's outstretched arms. It became evident that it was a quiver, complete with arrows.

She looked at the Fae queen enquiringly.

"This can be used in Resumbria, and it will kill things that no mortal weapon can. It is weaved from a hybrid of my dreams and your own, in this way making it stronger as it is mixture of fairy and human." Exquiseta paused. "It can be used against the Inverse, should the event command it." She floated up to Ginny's eye level. "Learn and grow my child, you have great potential, just _please_ be vigilant. It was a pleasure to meet you Ginevra Weasley." The queen pressed a kiss on each of Ginny's cheeks before fading as abruptly as the others.

Ginny studied the weapon in her hand curiously.

_Time for practise I think…_


	16. Frozen Impulse

Disclaimer: None of the recognisable characters/places/spells etc belong to me. Everything else does!  
  
Chapter 15 – Frozen Impulse

Ginny woke tired the next morning. Her hands had welts on them where the bow had worn into them whilst she practised her archery. She had found that, using the same theory about re-projecting herself; she could visualize the arrows back to her after she had shot them. This was very useful as to begin with they were assured to go completely off target. Soon, though, she found that she could control the way the arrow flew through the air as well. All the concentration and tenacity was very wearing though and Ginny was completely shattered

Persephone came into the dormitory and did a double take when she saw Ginny. "What _happened_?" she exclaimed, taking in the messy red hair and almost sickly pale skin.

Finally, Ginny grinned, knowing now that Resumbria was no longer to be feared for the Shadowers. She could hold her own. "Just a bit of self-defence," she explained. She moaned in pain as she tried to lift her right arm – her shooting arm – apparently the muscles weren't accustomed to so much exercise in one go.

"Yes..." her friend agreed slowly. "Because we all do self-defence in our sleep."

Ginny grinned unhelpfully. "The banshees have left the Forbidden Forest," she said happily.

Perse nodded. "That's good." She rubbed her head, wincing slightly.

"Headache?"

The black-haired girl shrugged. "We need to go to breakfast," she stated instead.

They walked in silence together to the great hall. Ginny was slightly alarmed to find it was quite awkward. In the few months that she'd been best friends with Persephone they'd hardly had an uncomfortable moment.

"So, the ball in a couple of weeks eh?" Ginny started, trying to make conversation.

"I guess," replied Persephone.

Out of Ginny's line of sight she grimaced against the pain in her head. Her heartbeat felt strong in her ears, overwhelmingly so, but she couldn't let Ginny know there was anything wrong, Ginny had to go and meet Draco. Today was a very important day for the rest of her life and the black-haired Gryffindor was determined not to undermine it in any way. So Persephone stuck a grim smile on her face and tried to participate in the conversation that her redheaded friend had struck up.

Breakfast was a very quiet affair as they were quite late. Sundays were always quiet in Hogwarts, most students preferring to sleep or finish outstanding homework.

"Are you ok?" Ginny asked as they left the hall.

"I'm fine," Persephone replied fixing the most upbeat grin she could on her face. "You should go and tell Malfoy about the Banshee removal."

Ginny thought for a second. "Yes, I think I will. See you later." She gave Perse a slightly forced cheery smile before spontaneously hugging her. "I hope you feel better soon!"

Persephone watched her red head disappear around the corner, a slight smile touching her features.

A twang from her head sent her doubled over in pain.

* * *

Draco skimmed a flat stone skilfully across the flat surface of the lake. It made five bounces before the Giant Squid's tentacle lazily reached to pluck it from the air.

He felt her long before he heard her. Their aura link had ebbed quickly, either that or they had become more like each other – Draco was uncertain – but if he concentrated he could still pinpoint where she was. She perched on a rock just a little way behind him, he could imagine him in his mind's eye, playing with a tendril of fire between her fingers, watching and waiting for him to acknowledge her, looking stunning and not even knowing it...

He shook his head to clear the visions that had arisen, unbidden, from somewhere best kept buried. These thoughts, and the feelings they aroused in him, could muck up everything. They could put people's lives in danger.

Finally, he turned, meeting her eyes straight on. What he wasn't prepared for was the curl of her lip as she smiled at him. She smiled _at_ him! Draco caught his breath, all he'd ever got from Ginny before had been seriousness, blind hatred or overwhelming fear, but she'd never smiled at him before.

He skimmed another stone half-heartedly; it only hit the water twice before sinking, and then turned around to go across to her. Curiosity was incited at why she was here but he knew that his face gave nothing away, stone cold as ever.

"I have good news," she said, starting the conversation.

"Really," Draco deadpanned, trying to ignore the beautiful smile that lit up her face.

"The Banshees have left the Forbidden Forest, so I – and you – are no longer in danger." Ginny smiled again, this time self-satisfactorily, before turning to go back to the castle.

"Is that all you came here to say?" he asked her retreating back.

"Well, yes."

He walked to stand in front of her, his six foot considerably dwarfing her height. "So you came all this way just to tell me that we're safe?" It wasn't so much as a question as a statement but she nodded all the same.

"Yes." Draco seemed to be looking for more information, this irritated Ginny. "Then we'll never have to see each other again!"

There it was, thought Draco, the spark of hatred that had become less pronounced since his time with her at the beginning of term, but nevertheless it was still there.

He started to walk towards her, unaware that his pose was quite threatening. In response, Ginny back away. "So why did you come all this way just to tell me that?"

"I don't know what you're trying to get at here!" she exclaimed still backing away.

"Why did you come to see me to tell me that you weren't going to see me?"

She shrugged seemingly calm, but continued to back away from his advancing steps. "Is there a problem with that?"

"If you really didn't want to see me, you could have sent someone else."

She was at a loss of what to answer, what was he trying to say about her? "Well I didn't. Is there a point to this?"

"Admit it; you wanted to talk to me."

"I did not!" Ginny abruptly found herself against a tree – they had reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest and she hadn't even noticed! She looked at Draco. "We shouldn't be here."

"I thought you said it's safe?"

"It is... but no one can see us." Ginny cursed the plaintive note in her voice.

"You're in no danger," he replied, leaning an arm against the tree behind her, effectively blocking Ginny in. She seriously disputed his comment, but decided against saying anything.

"I thought you'd be happy that you wouldn't have to see me anymore?" Ginny tried a different tactic.

"Weasley, in the past month I've taken a night time diversion into the Forbidden Forest for you, saved your life twice, been publicly embarrassed and-" he leaned very close to her and whispered; "I wouldn't change it for the world."

Ginny frowned. "But you hate me, you hate everything I stand for. You hate my family and you hate my friends. Are you telling me that's changed?" The disbelief in her voice was obvious.

"No," smirked Draco. "I'm not, but I am telling you that I would go through it all again – even the public humiliation - just to have moments like this with you." The blonde cursed that he sounded a lot like the lovesick Zabini.

Ginny marvelled – that sounded a lot like sincerity in his voice. "I am _so_ confused," she stated.

He smiled. "You're not the only one."

"This can't happen. All my life you've been nasty to my brothers –to me. You're father and you're family they're-" she was going to say Deatheaters but caught the dangerous gleam in his eye just in time, "so different to mine. And I hate you," Ginny finished. She stood on tiptoes and murmured in his ear; "Passionately."

Draco pushed her closer against the tree, efficiently pinning her to it. Their breath mingled in front of their faces and their eyes clashed fiercely, both caught in the moment.

"It can't happen," he agreed, moving his left arm to her hip. Her breath caught in her throat, Ginny felt her heartbeat quicken.

She pushed herself backwards into the bark, finding a root to balance on that brought her almost to his eye-level. "We could never be together, our families would go insane."

He nodded, moving the hand on her hip beneath her robes, his cold fingers coming into contact with Ginny's burning skin. She shivered, bringing her arm down his with the purpose of pushing his hand away. This idea failed miserably about halfway down when his lips met her throat.

Her eyes fluttered close, their bodies pushing together, trying to get every bit of contact possible. The passion that was always there, whether they were arguing or not, exploded around them, transferred into something that both felt very wrong and simultaneously very right.

His lips on her neck were driving her insane, the sensuality overwhelming her senses. Ginny used a hand to push him away from her neck, replacing it with her mouth. The kiss that ensued was not sweet, or gentle, it was not the same as the one they'd shared in the forest - that had been desperate, it was not loving or kind; it was demanding and fiery. Their tongues sparred in the same way their minds did, each fighting for space and possession.

If a comet had landed on Hogwarts right then neither Ginny nor Draco would have been any wiser. A moment of gallantry on Draco's part had brought them together and now something beyond their control was holding them there.

She pushed beneath his black t-shirt, running her hands up his chest. He growled and pulled her impossibly close, plunging his tongue into the depths of her mouth, trying to assert dominance. Ginny was having none of it, in return she ground her pelvis against his, rolling her hips tantalisingly.

_Who would have thought the littlest Weasley had it in her_, Draco thought to himself. His body reacted to her seamlessly, her curves more pronounced as he ran his hand along them.

Finally they broke away panting. He still held her firmly against the tree though.

She traced his swollen mouth with her finger thoughtfully. He watched her, taking in the tousled hair, the darkened eyes, and the now very pink lips, thinking that he'd never seen anyone look more beautiful or deadly in his life. Deadly to his heart.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, brushing hair away from her eyes. She smiled resting her head against his hand. "We'd have to be very careful."

She nodded, thinking of the stir it could cause. Thinking of what her brother would do if he knew. "It's strange," she said softly, "an hour ago I was fully prepared to have nothing to do with you. And now it's like I've found a whole new level of being. It's like I've channelled the last six years of hate into that kiss."

"It was less like a kiss, more like a fight," he agreed, playing with a lock of her hair between his fingers. "I'm sorry I made you hate me. I didn't know any other way."

Ginny smiled taking the hand that played with her red locks and entwining her fingers with it. They both stared at the tangled hands, finally understanding that things would be very different from now on.

* * *

Persephone had only made it to the stairs before she collapsed. Her breathing came hard and violent, the very action seeming to suck energy. Her head felt like it was exploding – or imploding – she wasn't sure. She couldn't think, she couldn't react and her sight was going blurry and hazy, the world swimming in front of her eyes.

Blaise knelt in front of her. He pushed black hair away from her face, tilting her chin up so he could see if she was awake.

"Persephone?" he inquired gently.

Blue eyes fluttered open, reeling depths stared back at him. Blaise thought he'd never seen someone look so vulnerable at one time before. They droop closed again, almost in defeat, he could do whatever he wanted and she wouldn't stop. Blaise thanked the powers that be that it had been him who had found her, as there were some rather unsavoury characters in the sixth and seventh years – mostly in Slytherin – and he hated to think what they might have done.

Blaise hefted her into his arms, astonished at how light she was. He carried her gently down the stairs towards the Slytherin common room, mercifully not passing any students. Just before they reached the door, he took a sharp left down a passage that would otherwise have been invisible had you not known about it.

He came out in the prefect quarters. Malfoy wouldn't mind if he used his room.

He laid Persephone gently on the bed, feeling her forehead to see if she had a temperature. She didn't.

She moaned slightly, moving her lips, muttering to herself. The dark-haired Slytherin felt the beginnings of panic. He should have taken her to the Hospital Wing, he knew he should, but he thought he could help her.

Blaise browsed quickly through Malfoy's in-room potion collection. He promptly found a painkiller potion, the only problem being that he didn't know what exactly was wrong with the Gryffindor.

Deciding to take the chance, Blaise administered the potion to Persephone, lightly easing her mouth open and coaxing her to swallow, which was very difficult as she was muttering at the same time.

He placed the bottle down on the desk, schooling himself not to look at Draco's various pieces of parchment.

The Slytherin lay on the bed next to Persephone, making soothing noises in his throat, trying to calm her fervent mumbling. But she only seemed to become more distressed, writhing in place. From time to time she would clench up, pulling her arms in tight to her chest.

Blaise put his arms around her, trying to still the thrashing, but only succeeded in almost getting knocked out as one of her arms was flung out strongly to the side.

Finally, he lay at the edge of the bed, watching her quietly, willing her to be still. After a while she was and he sighed in relief. The only sound in the room was her laboured breathing. Then the unthinkable happened.

She _stopped _breathing.

Blaise was quickly at her side, jerking her shoulders to try and wake her, to bring her back, he cursed fluently under his breath, pleading with her to be ok. Her chest began to rise and fall again, quickly, as though she'd run a race. He took a step back, afraid that he was crowding her, but thanking whatever god was listening.

Persephone moved, bringing her hand up to her face, wiping away some of the clamminess. Her eyes painstakingly opened and she looked up into his face.

She managed only two words.

"Get Ginny."

Before falling back into the feverous unconsciousness.

* * *

A/n: Yes, there really is a big relationship focus in this one, the next one will be more plot orientated i think. I'm really sorry this chapter took so long! But I hope you all enjoyed it.   
Reviews are, of course, always welcome, so tell me what you think (or didn't think as the case may be), but even if you don't i hope you had fun reading my story so far :)  
  
xx Susannah xx  



	17. Heart of Shadow

Disclaimer - I own nothing except the plot and the made up characters.

Chapter 16 – Heart of shadow

Draco and Ginny meandered through the shadows of the castle, the afternoon sun shining milkily through the bare trees.

They were both lost in thoughts of their own, but still joined at the hand. Ginny felt her thoughts were just going in circles; how would they keep this secret? Should she tell Ron? No she couldn't, he'd flip and probably kill Draco or something. What were they going to do?

But the one thought that reigned over the others was, when they parted, would what they'd just had be forgotten?

She tried to displace the thought, but it continued to return, floating ominously to the surface of her mind.

Abruptly, he pulled her to her. They both reflected a moment on how this action and closeness felt so natural.

"Don't worry about it," Draco told her, aware of what she was feeling – because he was feeling many of the same things but for different reasons.

"But there's so much that could go wrong," she whispered. She couldn't think of a single person who would approve of their decision. _Not that it was a decision really;_ she reminded herself, _more something that felt inevitable._

"I know," agreed Draco, stroking her hair thoughtfully, wondering where the strong feelings he felt flooding through his system had come from. "But I've never felt more positive in my life."

She smiled, reaching on tiptoes and pressing a kiss firmly to his mouth. Draco's lips curved against hers before cupping the back of her head in his hand. The kiss deepened, an exploration of each other's mouths, gentle yet necessary.

And so they continued, up the stone steps of the castle and in through the great double doors, the fingers clasped tightly together.

Both of them felt as though in a dream, like one's head had been left on a soothingly scudding cloud whilst one's body had to continue on the physical plane. The feel broke abruptly when they heard someone coming swiftly towards them though.

* * *

As Blaise rounded the corner he saw just the two people he was looking for facing off in front of him. 

"I may be dirt poor, but at least I'm not dirt," Ginny growled unconvincingly – her eyes were too soft and her mouth was pink and swollen.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that little weasel." Blaise noticed that Draco also sounded somewhat unthreatening – as a teddy bear is – and that his insult had no effect whatsoever on the youngest Weasley. He put two and two together easily.

"Spare me," he snapped. "Persephone needs your help. Now."

Ginny looked up immediately. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Follow me."

Ginny and Draco exchanged looks before following Blaise along the corridor. Worry lines creased on Ginny's forehead, and an inexplicable guilt washed over her. She should have stayed with Persephone, when Persephone had said she was ill.

Blaise strode quickly, his countenance darkly thunderous. Not because he was angry with them for finally getting together – it was going to happen at some point – but more because he unaccustomed to being this worried for someone. What happened if Ginny couldn't help Persephone? What if there was nothing they could do? What if she died?

Blaise tried to block these thoughts from his mind, but his pace speeded up; even Draco was having to hurry to keep up.

* * *

The pain had worn off a little now; it had been replaced with the illusion of floating. Persephone, flexed her limbs cautiously, trying to find something to take hold of, but there was nothing. 

She didn't know which way up she was; in fact she didn't even know what kind of place she'd ended up in. It had better be good, for all the pain she'd gone through to get there.

For awhile, when the agony had not ceased, she'd given into the pain letting it consume her, letting it stop her heart and still her breathing. But Blaise had shaken her out, brought her back for a second to her world – to the real world.

Knowing that help was on its way had eased her suffering somehow. So in her waiting, she taught herself to ride the waves of pain, to detach herself from them and treat them as another sensation altogether. In this way, she lost track of how much time had passed, how long she had been in pain.

Slowly the pain had lessened, as though she'd passed the point of no return. Now she felt only little twinges, which seemed nothing to her strengthened spirit. Persephone felt mentally weak, as though she'd taken a long journey, but at the same time, ready for more, like the burst of energy after the recovery from a long race.

She wanted to know where she was, why she was here and how she got here. Yet no answers presented themselves, her strength returned though, enough to allow her to open her eyes. There was all white, all around, but even as she watched it faded, through grey into black. As it faded her body began to ground itself.

There were sensations against her legs and upper body, softness, warmth. Persephone realised that although she clearly remembered opening her eyes, her actual vision was shut. It was a strange sensation, like having mental eyes and physical eyes. She could see darkness, but knew that when she gathered the strength to open her eyes, she would see light.

Slowly, very slowly, she pried eyes stuck with sleep and weariness open. The first thing she saw was the ceiling, stone eaves sloped upwards into a peak at the middle of the room.

_Where was Blaise?_

She sat up slowly in bed, feeling her bones creak in protest, everything hurt. The world around her seemed blurry, as though she couldn't focus on anything in particular, it made her feel almost dizzy.

Persephone used the bed to push herself into a standing position. On the wall opposite was a full-length mirror; staring back at her from it was a tall blonde woman wearing comically pink pyjamas.

_What the hell?!

* * *

_

_Very Sorry about the wait guys, but I have actually just been snowed under forever with work. It's great. But anway, I did what i could with this chapter. It's not very long I know, but I figured that you'd rather have a chapter than not at all!_

_Anyway, sorry again! And feedback is always welcome. xx Susannah xx_


	18. Basic Instincts

Disclaimer: I own nada. Except a few characters here and there. And the plot. Ok so maybe not nothing exactly.

Chapter 17 – Basic Instincts 

Ginny sat beside Persephone, placing her hands on her face, feeling her temperature, her pulse, her breathing. They all seemed normal, relaxed even, like someone in a deep sleep.

Blaise and Draco looked on silently, not wanting to encroach on the moment Ginny took with Persephone.

"You said she stopped breathing?" she enquired, not looking up, a curtain of red hair covering her face.

"Difficult to believe now isn't it?" Blaise replied, studying Perse's restful form.

"Persephone... wake up... please?" Ginny spoke softly to her friend, shaking her shoulders gently, willing her to awake. To her astonishment, Perse's eyelids began to flutter, and she stirred beneath Ginny's hands.

"Now why didn't I try that?" the tall dark-haired Slytherin muttered sarcastically. Ginny shot him a look.

Crystalline blue eyes opened, staring up at the red head. Confusion immediately bubbled in them.

"Who are you? Where am I?"

* * *

Persephone took in her appearance slowly. Where was she? More to the point, who was she?

Her eyes continued to blur, as though she was looking at the world through a water haze. Persephone didn't know what to think, where was everybody?

She began to examine the room she was in in as much detail as she could with her blurry sight. It appeared that she was still in Hogwarts, but it certainly wasn't Gryffindor tower. The hangings on the wall appeared to be blue, although she was uncertain as it was dark. Ravenclaw then, presumably, and whoever she had become was obviously a prefect of some sort to have a room to themselves.

Abruptly, a small house elf appeared in front of the door, it's bulbous eyes reflecting the light from the singular candle in the room. Persephone eyed it questioningly.

"Tamby came for if you want something? Miss is not usually awake now."

There was a pause whilst Perse eyed the creature interestedly. She'd never been waited on before, let alone by a house elf.

"Tamby is it?" The elf nodded enthusiastically, as entirely non-judgemental as any of its race. "I can't, uh, see anything very well?"

"Miss needs her glasses. Tamby will find for Miss."

"Thank you," said Persephone, cursing her own stupidity.

A pair of glasses were thrust into her hands that she promptly put on, the world coming into focus.

"Does Miss want anything else?" Tamby asked patiently.

_My 'name'? The date? A reason why I'm here? _"No, I'm good thank you Tamby."

The house elf bowed herself out.

Persephone stood for a moment in the semi-darkness, before moving to the drapes across the window. Cautiously, she eased them back to display the landscape of Hogwarts stretching away from her. There was a thick covering of snow purifying the land; the sun had not yet managed to conquer the night, casting an ethereal light over the pale wintry scene.

Perse just watched it, taking in the beauty and the strong sense of magic that emanated from her surroundings. She guessed that she was probably in the past as there was no Hagrid's hut that she could see and the Forbidden Forest extended almost all the way across the grounds, thick and untamed.

Even the beauty of Hogwarts in the snow though couldn't take her mind off her present situation. She was in an unknown person, in an unknown time, and if she was here... then who was in her body? It wasn't a comforting thought.

* * *

The Gryffindor common room was surprisingly quiet. Most of the younger years were outside playing in the sudden fit of good weather that had taken hold of Hogwarts. But three students were tucked into the corner, between the red and gold hangings, amid half done homework and cushions.

"Well, have you seen her?"

"No, Persephone neither." Hermione doodled absently with her quill on a scrap of parchment.

"When was the last time you saw them?"

"Must have been... this morning at breakfast. But not at all since."

Ron and Hermione dissolved into silence.

"Do you think we should worry?" Ron asked out loud.

"I'm sure they're fine," assured Hermione, "if we haven't seen them by dinner, then we'll start to worry ok?"

Ron nodded, content with the plan. Harry continued to stare into space, lost in his own thoughts.

"You don't think Malfoy would actually do anything with my sister do you?"

Harry looked up sharply, all of a sudden paying attention. "Of course not, he's all talk and no action – you know that. Besides, Ginny can look after herself, you saw her at the Dark Arts Comprehension lesson."

Hermione watched Harry from the corner of her eye. If she didn't know any better she'd say that Harry had a thing for Ginny, but he couldn't have... could he?

She dismissed the notion for the time being. "Yeah Ron, Ginny's been standing up to Malfoy all term from what I've heard, I'm sure she'll be able to make him back off. He wouldn't actually try anything under Dumbledore's nose either."

Ron nodded in agreement, his red hair bobbing in time. "You're right, I know you are. After all, Ginny's a Weasley – Malfoy wouldn't stand a chance." He puffed himself up proudly.

"At least she doesn't go quite as red or get quite as violent as you do," Hermione replied innocently, before promptly having to duck a low flying cushion. She threw one back in retaliation, but hit Harry instead. All out war ensued.

* * *

Ginny was already the colour of her hair, and – if it was possible – was getting redder by the minute.

"Malfoy tell me to calm down one more time and you'll never be able to sit down comfortably again."

Draco went paler than his usually white pallor but still shot back "Back to Malfoy now are we then?"

"Not that I'd usually have a problem with you being castrated, but I'd have to listen to you whinging the whole time, so stop pissing her off!" Blaise snapped over his shoulder. "C'mon Persephone it's ok, we won't hurt you, you know that," he whispered softly to the cupboard.

"You can come out Persephone," agreed Ginny equally as gently.

"I'm not this Persephone person!" exclaimed the cupboard. "I'm me!"

"And who is 'me'?" Draco inquired dryly.

"Amelia. Amelia Sloane of Ravenclaw." One very scared eye poked its way around the cupboard doors. "Now if you'd call Tamby, I'd like a nice hot chocolate."

* * *

_Ok, I'm sorry again that it is so short, but I'm only gradually getting back into the swing of things again. So I'm afraid that near future chapters are probably going to be short but semi-frequent!_

_Thank you to all my reviewers, I'm glad you appreciate my somewhat bizarre take on the wonderful world of Harry Potter._


	19. Loose Cannons

Disclaimer: I own a very marginal few of the characters, the rest are all property of Ms Rowling and her imagination, long may it create the world of Harry Potter!**  
**

**Chapter 18 – Loose Cannons**

"You are joking, right?" Persephone asked, grinning confidently.

"No, really I'm not," the Ravenclaw exclaimed, seeming to get more befuddled by the minute. "You do it every morning, I promise."

"There is _no _way you're serious." The Gryffindor stared in the direction the prefect was pointing in disbelief. "You want me to do… that… all on my own?"

"Goodness gracious, no," the short dark-haired girl cried. "You have to organise the younger years."

"But what about, y'know, the house elves and stuff? Why can't they do it?"

The short girl looked at her slightly suspiciously. "We only have a couple of house elves here. Most belong to the old families," she trailed off. "Are you sure you're alright Amelia?"

"I'm fine," Perse waved. "I'll just go… organise… the younger years." She turned away to her left – anything to get away from the younger girl's troubled gaze. She opened to door directly in front of her, only to be faced by neatly stacked buckets and mops.

"That's the cupboard," the girl informed her slowly. "The common room is in the other direction." There was a pause while Perse slowly shut the door and turned back to face the younger prefect. "Are you sure you haven't hit your head or anything this morning?" the girl inquired gently.

Perse shook her head. She'd never been in a situation quite like this… whatever situation this was. More importantly, she'd never been required to organise younger years to milk cows. That was a new experience as well. Suddenly, an idea came to mind which would solve her immediate tribulations.

"Actually, you know, I think I did hit my head when I got out of bed this morning. Maybe I should go and lie back down. I'm sure someone else can organise the mass cow milking."

The younger girl whose name she had not caught watched her steadily. "Well Lucius will probably do it in your place then, but then he'll require you to organise the cow milking _and_ the egg collection tomorrow. You know how petty he can be about head girl and boy duties."

"Egg… collection…?" Persephone noted that her voice had suddenly gone up an octave. "Wait a second… Lucius? Lucius Malfoy? _He's _head boy?"

"Yes, Amelia," confirmed the younger girl gently. "And you are head girl. How hard do you think you hit your head?"

"Ok," Perse said slowly. "I hit my head, I can't remember a thing. Can you walk me through organised cow-milking?"

The girl arched an eyebrow. "Alright," she agreed, "but only until you start to remember again."

Persephone sighed with relief, pushing blonde hair behind her ears. If she could claim amnesia for a bit then it would give her the time to work out how she got here, and how she was going to get back.

She noticed the girl wasn't walking anywhere. "What's the matter?" she questioned. "Shouldn't we be going? We don't want the milk to curdle or anything." She giggled slightly at her own joke, but the prefect looked somewhat unimpressed.

"Are you going to go out in your nightie?"

* * *

"It's amazing, she looks exactly identical." Blaise watched 'Persephone' curiously.

"But it's not her, it's Amelia. Whoever Amelia is," Ginny replied wearily. "Can you tell us some more about yourself, Amelia? Or anything in fact," she muttered to herself.

"I'm head girl," the dark-haired girl announced, crystalline blue eyes shining. She paused a moment. "Oh no! It's my turn to milk the cows this morning; else Useless Lucius will throw a tantrum. I must get to the common room!"

"Wait, wait," interjected Draco. "Lucius? You knew my father?"

"I don't know what it is you babble about boy," Amelia returned primly. "But Lucius is hardly able to look after himself let alone have children."

"She's kind of crazy," remarked Ginny absently to Blaise, "but I like her."

"Milking cows?" Blaise echoed in mystification.

"You," Amelia pointed at Ginny, "you look like a Weasley. Although I don't know what relation you can be to dear Arthur. Nevertheless, show me to the common room."

"There are no cows around here, dear," Draco drawled.

"Where do you get your milk from?" Amelia exclaimed. "This is a strange place; I don't suppose I like it much. I would like to go home please."

"Home to where though?" pondered the redhead. "What year are you from?"

"The year is 1909 and today is the twenty-eighth of December. Tomorrow it shall snow again." She said this with complete certainty, reeling off the date with confidence.

"That's all very good, but how do you know it'll snow tomorrow?" Blaise inquired interestedly.

"Hardly the more important point of what she just said," muttered the blonde.

"Because I foresaw it of course. Honestly, do you people here know nothing?"

"A ha!" Blaise exclaimed triumphantly. "I know where I recognise her name from; Amelia Sloane, the first Hogwarts Seer."

"After Rowena Ravenclaw of course," Amelia added smugly.

"Oh I see…" Ginny nodded her head, things beginning to make sense. "And Persephone is also futuristically gifted." She looked at Blaise and Draco. "And I shouldn't have told you that."

"We already knew," Draco shrugged. Ginny frowned, but didn't question him further.

"But why swap bodies? How did they swap bodies? And if the link between them is to see the future, then why is Persephone in the past? And why now -"

"Hello, do we look like the guys with all the answers?" Draco drawled.

"You know," Ginny replied conversationally, "you really _piss_ me off."

"And that's what turns you on," the blonde countered, winking.

"Going to throw up," said Blaise, raising an arm.

"Feeling nauseous," Amelia announced simultaneously. They shared a smile. "Why do you ask the year? Surely you must know that even though you do not even know how to milk cows."

Ginny pursed her lips in thought. "Well, you see, the year now is 2005, and the date is the eighteenth of December. Why the date change I wonder?" she asked, mainly to herself.

"Daylight savings?" Blaise suggested in reply, not taking his eyes from Amelia. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"I wonder how Persephone is faring in 1909," the redhead wondered, again, mainly rhetorically. A picture sprang to mind of Perse milking cows, she hid a smile.

"It's 2005?" Amelia sat down abruptly. "But that means – how can it be? You must already have had – but no – goodness me!" She played with the trimming of the particularly heinous tartan stool she'd planted herself on. Blue eyes stared into space as she came to terms with events that Ginny, Draco and Blaise had yet to grasp.

"What are you trying to say?" Ginny asked gently.

Amelia locked eyes with the red-haired Gryffindor. "Voldemort. He has come then?"

Ginny winced slightly at the name before nodding slowly. "Yes, he has come," she confirmed.

"But he has not gone." Amelia looked at them seriously. "This is Hogwarts then, I feel muted evil, but it lives within you all."

Ginny bristled slightly. "In some houses more than others," she replied without thinking. The weight of two gazes crashed down on her. "Sorry guys," she shrugged at the two Slytherins.

"That's what I mean," agreed Amelia. "The houses are out of balance, no longer aligned, divided. That's the true evil. Evil deeds done flesh upon flesh leave scars, but the evil done in people's hearts is even more difficult to heal."

The Gryffindor stayed silent, thinking about what she had said.

"How much have you seen of the future?" Blaise asked quietly.

"I saw the rise of Voldemort, and the fall, I saw the rise of Harry Potter, and his link to the Dark Lord. There is love and hope in the future yet, but there is also despair and sadness," she trailed off wearily, looking old beyond her years. Her attention appeared to turn inward. "Your Persephone though, she has seen a lot too."

"What do you mean?" Ginny enquired.

"She has seen much of the future, and much of the past as well. Truly a special Seer, she's more powerful than I."

"It must be nice, knowing the future," Draco pondered. "Knowing everything that could happen. Must be fearless"

Amelia's eyes darkened. "Fearless, yes," she repeated poignantly. "Every day, every hour, the future presses in on us. Could you live, knowing the exact day, the exact hour and way that you would die? Persephone knows, just as I did. We do not fear here and now, we do not even fear tomorrow, but the day after that haunts our lives, just as the living shall haunt our death."

Blaise, Draco and Ginny looked on, wordlessly. How could a declaration like that be answered?

"But I have said too much," Amelia said quickly, she did not look any of the three students in the eyes. "You still have the Divination rooms yes? I need to consult a few of the older Gods, on how this has come to pass."

"Of course," agreed Ginny. "Follow us." She exchanged looks with Draco and Blaise, before following Amelia out of the room.

"She's kind of thrown us in the deep end eh?" Draco whispered in her ear, sliding his hand into hers. Ginny sighed, she'd almost forgotten about their recent developments, but she was glad he wasn't going anywhere. How would she cope without Persephone?

"What's put you in such a good mood?" she asked instead.

He nuzzled the shell of her ear, making her shiver. "Just certain… events." He smiled, baring his softer side to her bit by bit. She smiled, thankful for his support.

"Oi, lovebirds, break it up before bigger Weasley spots you," Blaise hissed, simultaneously rolling his eyes.

Ginny led the way up the tight staircase to the Divination room, Draco following closely behind, coincidentally receiving a decent view of her behind at the same time. He smirked. Some things would just never change.

When they reached the familiarly misty Divination classroom, Amelia finally seemed to relax. "Mildred always did like her herbs," she observed to no one in particular.

"Professor Trelawney lives here now," Ginny corrected gently.

"Mildred's the resident ghost," Amelia amended. "She's very shy, but I should know. The herbs make her feel less unhappy about being dead. I will be the Divination Professor after all." She paused, frowning. "I mean, I have been the Professor…"

Ginny looked around. "So, er, where do you… consult the Gods?"

"Mildred? _Relazio,_" Amelia called, twisting slightly to face the northern wall.

"How do you know the password? You are not a teacher"

A small girl materialized from the opposite wall, blonde hair spilt from her shoulders to cover a neat red dress, all of which were obscured by the translucence of death.

"Mildred, it is I, Amelia Sloane of Ravenclaw. I need you to unlock the Chamber of the Unknown."

Next to him, Draco felt Ginny stiffen. Almost with a will of its own his arm snaked around her. He'd never heard of the Chamber of the Unknown, but he sure hoped there wasn't a 15ft snake housed in there as well, for Ginny's sake.

"Amelia Sloane?" the young ghost – Mildred – questioned. "What brings you to this time?"

"That, is what I intend to find out sister," Amelia replied calmly.

As the three students and Amelia watched, the back wall of the Divination classroom folded outwards to reveal a whole other room, hidden behind.

"You'd never have guessed," Blaise observed absently.

Centrally placed in the chamber that was now the Divination classroom was a huge circular cauldron, a shiny liquid rolling and merging in its metallic pit.

"Double, double, toil and trouble," Draco murmured.

"I didn't know you read Shakespeare?" Ginny enquired thoughtfully.

"Didn't know you did either," the Slytherin countered.

"Show me," the dark-haired witch commanded, trailing around the cauldron, her fingers on the rim. "Enlighten me of your purpose; let me see your power." She continued to walk, but where her fingertips touched the cauldron it began to glow deep silver, the same colour as the liquid. Amelia stopped abruptly, staring at the surface.

Ginny and the two boys stepped forwards together and looked over the now-stationary Amelia's shoulder. Four words were written in a deep purple colour in the cauldron.

"_Quendam ventum quia causa," _Ginny read out loud. "What does that mean?"

Amelia scowled. "Everything happens for a reason."

* * *

Responses; 

Elle Blessingway - thank you for your kind review, it was much appreciated. Happy New Year to also (belated though it may be). I am aware about the whole Ron-being-in-two-places thing and, until I can go back and change that chapter to accommodate the impossibility of this, I will just have to say that Ron and Harry had decided to text out a keeper for this particular match and Ron had only been on for the first half an hour, at which point they'd swapped. At some point i shall go back and put that in.

Sabine Strohem-Moss - thank you for all the reviews you have left in my stories, they are always valued! I hope this chapter is longer for you! :)

DobbyGrl - I'm glad you liked it! Thank you for all your reviews!!

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	20. Rocking the Boat

Disclaimer: I don't own any of Harry Potter and his wonderful world – it is all J.K. Rowling's.

Chapter 19 – Rocking the Boat

Persephone studied Lucius Malfoy interestedly. In many ways he was like Draco… just his eyes were harder and his hair wasn't quite the same platinum blonde that Draco's was.

How could it be though? This was not something she'd been expecting. But then she hadn't been expecting to be catapulted back into Hogwarts without house elves and she never thought – in her _life – _that she would ever have to milk a cow. So much for bloody foresight and premonition.

But Lucius Malfoy? How did that work? She had inquired casually about the year to the younger prefect – Katherine – and had been told it was 1909; she'd also received a strange look and a nervous smile from the girl. If it was indeed 1909 – which she was in no position to dispute – then it would make Lucius over a hundred years old at the present time. Perse was determined to find out _quite_ how that worked.

Katherine approached her nervously. "I think it's all done Amelia, you can call the first years in to have breakfast now."

Persephone nodded, blonde hair falling into her face. She was never going to get used to having hair this colour. "_Sonorus," _she whispered, pointing Amelia's wand at her own throat. It sparked a little at her, but she was relieved to find it still worked. "Okay, everyone," she announced her voice echoing around the field that lay on the verges of the Forbidden Forest. "Time for breakfast." All the first years looked at her in a mixture of surprise and amazement, before slowly milling in the direction of the castle. _Oh dear, _Persephone worried. _What have I done strange now?_

Lucius began to make his way towards her from where he had been lazing at the edge of the field, being about as useful as a hole in the head.

Katherine scurried away from Persephone, muttering something about 'crazy' and 'prefects'.

"Cool spell," Lucius said calmly when he was within talking distance of her. "Nice invention." The witch realised he was referring to the _Sonorus _charm… they didn't have it here?

_Crap, did I just change history? _Perse bit her lip.

"You were very useful," she shot back in reply, referring to his standing at the edge of the field and spectating.

"And here I was expecting cutting sarcasm," Lucius retorted, laying his palms wide.

"Haven't you got some first years to crucify, or some small animals to disembowel?" Perse inquired sharply, noticing that the field was now clear except for the two of them.

"C'mon sweetheart, there's no need to go all defensive on me." His hand touched her elbow gently, steering her into a path next to him before she realised what was happening. Quickly, she jerked away. He chuckled; "Ah, we're playing hard to get today are we?"

She frowned. Were he and Amelia involved? Was she meant to be being nice to him? Over her dead body. "_Impossible_ to get Malfoy, impossible," she corrected him shortly, before turning on her heel and heading away towards to castle.

"You're mine Sloane, and you know it," he called after her, but she didn't stop walking. "Fine! Be that way!"

What had Amelia got herself into? And what _was_ Persephone going to do about it?

* * *

Amelia watched the new world with interest. It all seemed so… shiny. Yet somehow everyone seemed to be unhappy. Almost everything they wanted was instantaneous, with a flick of a wand they could perform so many charms that made everyday life that bit easier, but everyone seemed so discontented and weighed down by immeasurable dissatisfaction.

She stood on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, watching the innumerable number of students out in the unseasonably warm weather. The sat, sprawled across the grass everywhere she looked, playing adolescent games with one another. Games she didn't understand because she's never had to play.

Why had she been bought to this time, what did she have to learn? Or who did she have to meet? Perhaps, she thought, maybe Persephone would be the one who would benefit, would be the one who was learning. Maybe she was just a pawn…

"Are you okay?" asked a voice near her shoulder. Amelia started, looking up into blue-rimmed depths. "You look a little lost."

Amelia spun round and gaped slightly, there was a youth standing before her and he was… well, breathtaking. How had she not noticed him immediately? He was taller than her, but not out of sight and he had burnished blonde hair, lithely tanned limbs and she thought if she didn't take her eyes away _now_ she may start dribbling.

With an effort she managed to recollect her thoughts from where they had skittered when she caught sight of the young godlike creature.

"I'm f- fine," she stammered, feeling painfully self-conscious all of a sudden.

"You're new this year, aren't you?" he asked conversationally keeping an intense eye-contact with her.

_I'm new this **week**_, Amelia thought to herself.

"Uh, yes," she agreed, pushing black air out of her face. "Have we met before?" Amelia asked trying not to sound confused or give away the fact that she wasn't sure whether she was _meant _to know him.

"I think not," he replied, appearing not to notice anything weird about her manner. "I've just come to Hogwarts for my final year after six of home schooling."

Amelia forced her attention away from the way his lips moved and forced herself to look back into blue eyes. A sudden question popped into her head, she narrowed her own eyes suspiciously. "How did you know I was new then?"

He blushed endearingly. "I'm in your Divination class."

Amelia cooed internally, he'd been too shy to talk to her – or, well, Persephone. Slightly confused by this train of thought she turned away, facing Hogwarts again. "Walk with me?"

He nodded his acquiescence.

* * *

Draco watched Ginny closely, sighing with weariness. She had her head propped on his shoulder, and she had fallen asleep. Again.

She spent so long at night worrying about Persephone and Amelia and how they were going to get them back to their own times that she rarely slept and it showed in her countenance a little more every day. He wasn't a caring person by nature, and he never expected to be. He wasn't soft, or vulnerable, or unguarded, he was a product of his Father's discipline and he often had a heart of ice to prove it.

But he did want the littlest Weasley, possibly more than he'd wanted anything else. He smiled as he remembered the early stages of their relationship – if that's what it was. She had hated him so much, in fact he thought a little bit of her still wouldn't forgive him for the bullying he had rested on her and her family for his time at Hogwarts, and he, he had despised her. Now he realised he hadn't despised her as a person, just what she stood for, the meekness, the mildness, for having the gene – like her father – that wanted to include everyone in everything, even muggles, in their lives. So different from the Malfoy point of view.

Ginevra Weasley, as a person, was beautiful though. She fought him with a passion, and that same passion came out in her kisses. She genuinely loved the people around her, and in return they loved her as well. In many ways he was jealous of her life, of the loyalty she kindled, but then he would realise that he wouldn't be tolerant of people as she was, or even care for their everyday worries as she did. What his thoughts refused to take him on to was to realise that he was one of those who's loyalty and trust she had.

"You look a little troubled," inquired a slurred voice from his shoulder. He glanced down, a smile already touching his features.

"Nice sleep?"

She prodded his shoulder thoughtfully. "Kind of bony," Ginny replied.

* * *

_Good? Or nay? Drop me a note, tell me what you think! Hope you enjoyed it (and sorry for the wait). N.B. although my updates for my stories often take a very long time to come, I will not abandon any of them – just for future reference. And to the person who asked how long this story would be… I'm not sure, there's still a lot of plot to come (and answers of course) so there's probably still at least twice the amount I've already written to come!_

_Now I have a question to put to anyone reading this story (or any of them for that matter), I'm thinking of starting a proper long original fiction on fictionpress and I was just wondering if anyone already had a fiction there and what the best way/length etc of doing the chapters were. And also of course what the chances of it actually being read are. Please email me if you can help. Thank you :)_


	21. Something Wicked This Way Comes i

Disclaimer: I own Nothing - with a capital N, well except the plot and a couple of characters!

**Chapter 20 – Something Wicked This Way Comes (i)**

"Where _is_ she?" Ginny exclaimed for the nth time, running her hands frustratedly through her hair.

Draco watched her progress from window to window calmly. She'd managed to escape the hawk-like gazes of Potter and Granger to come to him, but all she'd done was fret about not knowing where Amelia was.

"I'm sure she's fine," he said with the most reassurance he could muster. He hadn't slept well the previous night; something colder was rolling in with the freezing December nights, and he had the first niggling of worry at the back of his mind. And Draco Malfoy _didn't_ 'worry'.

Ginny turned to look at him, eyes narrowed. "It's not like you'd care anyway, it's no skin off your nose if she vanishes and I never even get a chance to get Persephone back! You two never got on anyway." She turned troubled eyes back to the window as though it would hold the answer to all her problems.

A Draco Malfoy of a year ago would have simply walked out but he was different, and wiser when it came to dealing with one Ginny Weasley. He moved to stand behind her, following her gaze out of the window to the forest below. If she wanted to lean on him she could, otherwise he'd just… be there. Draco could feel the worry pour off her along with the irrational anger and pain of being parted from her best friend, he could feel them all burning in his blood, in his heart; when he was close to her like this the link between them was nearly tangible. She held so much emotion that, even feeling it second hand, it was sometimes difficult for him to bear, he who had never been the subject of love, only of respect, had never played the empathetic part, instead placing his pride above all else.

"I'm sorry Draco," she breathed resting back on his comforting stance. "It's just… something feels wrong. Nobody's seen her since breakfast. I don't know where she could be."

"Maybe she got lost," the blonde replied. Although she had been right before, he didn't care much for Amelia, or, indeed, her counterpart Persephone. Frankly he cared for very few people, and this thing he felt for Ginny? Whatever it was? He didn't know whether it was real, or magic induced craziness. He couldn't deny the fire burning in his blood and the reaction she got out of him, but he didn't know whether it went further than that.

"Everything's just so weird y'know?" Ginny started, thinking out loud. "First the banshees, then the fairies, then Amelia and Persephone swapping for really no reason that can be found. And, of course Harry and Hermione following my every waking moment… This year has been crazy, and it's not even Christmas yet, well not for three days."

"Maybe you should ask Trelawney?" Draco suggested doubtfully.

She pulled back to look at him, sensing his strange mood. "Maybe I will," the redhead replied thoughtfully, trying to fathom out his eyes.

He stared back expressionlessly, locking his thoughts away. He didn't want to share himself with her, not tonight and he didn't know why. A small part of his recognised the selfishness of this, considering she let him see her whole and uncensored, but that was the difference between them. He was brought back to the moment by a small frown playing across her brows.

"It's funny how you can be so close, yet so distant," she ruminated. "You don't have to tell me what's on your mind… but I always know what's in your heart." She moved a small freckled hand to rest on his chest, above where his heart would be. Very slowly and deliberately, she reached up on tiptoe until their mouths were nearly touching and she could see into his eyes. See him watching her closely yet motionlessly. "Draco I'm yours." She blushed, realising how that sounded, but continued anyway. "All I am is for you…" Ginny looked away and then back at him. "Try not to break my heart," she breathed, brushing her lips against his, before turning and walking away.

He watched her go, an almost indiscernible frown wrinkling his forehead slightly. She knew what was in his heart? How could she, when even he didn't know? His train of thought was distracted by a bubbling of dread within his stomach, making him shiver with apprehension. A pop behind him made him spin around sharply, muscles taut.

* * *

The Astronomy Tower seemed darker and more deserted than usual. Ginny supposed that it was because she had become so used to associating it with Persephone and how full of life she was, and now she was gone. Well, her essence was… and now her body seemed to be as well.

She knocked lightly before entering the Divination classroom, not feeling the awe it kindled in others who had an inkling of foresight within them. Professor Trelawney greeted her formally from the desk that she seemed to have folded her limbs under opposite the door.

"Can I help dear?" she asked stiffly, taking in the autograph red of her hair. Weasleys had never been the best Divination students.

"Um…" Ginny was suddenly at a loss for words, what was she to say? Could you find my 'friend' from 1909, who's only been missing for six hours, sure, but I'm still paranoid? "Are you – ah – able to – um – track… people?" she asked, feeling infinitely idiotic.

Trelawney's strange look was cut off by a chill wind that whipped around the Divination classroom, defying any source whatsoever. Ginny watched it swirl around the curtains to the –shut – windows and send a wad of papers on the edge of Trelawney's desk tumbling to the floor. Ginny was quickly there, gathering them up, almost absent-mindedly.

"The shadows come forth," announced a harsh voice from the desk. The rasping, guttural sound sending shivers down Ginny's spine. She looked up sharply meeting the black orbs that had become of Professor Trelawney's usual watery green. "The Seer is borne forth to the dark lord, a prisoner of the Faeries of Death and she is but the first. The guards of darkness have been swayed and the shadows come forth. The shadows come forth," she repeated again.

The redhead blinked a couple of times, what the hell was happening? Was this some sort of joke? Or was the old fraud actually not such a fraud?

The professor blinked a couple of times as though trying to clear her head. "What did you want dear?" she asked looking confused. "Oh… no I cannot 'track' anyone, as you put it, perhaps you'd be better off asking Professor Hagrid, he may be of better use." Ginny did not miss the superciliousness of her tone. " now if you would leave me be, I have an awful headache and my tea leaf reading for tomorrow was dire, so I think I shall retire to bed now. Beware the silver swan," she said as a parting comment waving Ginny away from her desk and out of the door.

Ginny left the classroom and stood in the hall outside, leaning against it for support. The 'seer is borne forth to the dark lord'? A prisoner of the Death Faeries? The banshees? But how? If Amelia had been captured by them though… But how? The banshees had gone, the fairies had said so, and besides, how would they have got to her in broad daylight?

If what Trelawney had said was true though, and Ginny was inclined not to doubt, especially considering the mode of delivery, then Amelia, in Persephone's body, was being taken straight to Voldemort, and Ginny had an awful feeling that a Seer of their combined powers being used for ill-means could be the relative end of the war before it had even begun. Not that she thought Amelia was weak, but certainly not as strong as Persephone was.

What about the rest of the 'prophecy' – though she hesitated to call it that - , what of the shadows coming forth? Forth from where? And did she want to know? Ginny shook her head trying to clear it of the hubbub of thoughts.

What could she do?

Should she tell someone? No… that would mean too much to explain. Should she tell Draco and Zabini? No... she already owed them her life, and she didn't want to put them in harm's way.

Ginny supposed the only course of action left – save doing nothing – was to go after Amelia. Maybe she'd be able to save her. Maybe they'd be able to escape.

* * *

Draco found himself staring into familiar sharp grey eyes. Lucius Malfoy stood, facing him, his back to the wall, just behind the door. For perhaps the first time in his life, Draco was rendered speechless.

"Surprised?" his father's voice cut the air ruthlessly.

Draco nodded his head in assent. "How…?"

"It is wonderful, Son," Lucius said. "Azkaban is no more, the Dementors have been finally turned, and our Lord's plans are finally coming to fruition."

These words trickled into Draco's brain, almost in slow motion. Was this real? How could it be? Hogwarts was protected by so many anti-apparition fields that his father shouldn't even be here let alone be telling him thing that could strike fear into every self-respecting wizarding citizen in England.

"I am just a projection," his father said in way of explanation. "But I have come bearing a message from our Lord: get every Hogwarts student who is old enough to hold a wand in the name of the Deatheaters – within Slytherin of course – and get them to the edge of the Forbidden Forest by ten o'clock on Christmas Eve. Christmas day is going to be a full of revelry." Lucius smirked evilly, freezing Draco's blood.

"One more thing," continued the older Malfoy. "If you touch Ginevra Weasley again she will be hunted down and murdered along with her entire family. I can see her imprint on you; how could you have stooped so low?"

Draco started to shake his head, to deny it, to put his father off the scent, anything… but the door opened at exactly that moment. Ginny stood in the door frame, a mere plank of wood separating her from his father.

"Weasley," he greeted, putting the coolness into his voice that came so naturally. If he showed anything his father would probably kill her then… if she walked forward he probably would as well. He just had to get rid of her. "Do you need something?"

Her eyes flashed shyly, put ill-at-ease from his display of coldness. He felt his heart ache at her expression. "No – I – just wanted –"

"Take the verbal issues elsewhere," he snapped. "I have no time for stammering little girls with oral diarrhoea." She stepped backwards as though she'd been hit by him, the betrayal in her eyes evident. His heart began to break.

"But –" she started, colour rising in her cheeks.

"Take your but's with you as well, muggle-loving filth," he finished striding forwards to slam the door partly triumphant, she would live… but at the same time, so much pain.

His father was nodding approvingly. "Good, make sure it stays that way. I will see you in two days." With an abrupt 'pop' he vanished again, the projection ending.

Draco leant heavily against the doorframe, all the strength leaving his limbs. He felt Ginny's pain and it mixed with own causing a crippling hopelessness to take him over.

* * *

Ginny did nothing to stop the tears that fell freely down her face on her return journey to Gryffindor Tower. He had been acting strange all evening, and now he had just reverted to the cruel boy she had known before. Perhaps everything they'd shared over the past two weeks had only been magically induced after all, but then why did she feel so strongly?

In a haze of tears, pain and anger she quickly packed the bare necessities in a carry-all, thankful that there was no-one around to see her. Having made sure she had a spare change of clothes, a thick robe and some food supplies as well as her wand. She quickly slipped down the stairs, out through the portrait hole and down through Hogwarts. Stealing away towards the forest.

* * *

_Thanks to everyone who reviewed! It means everything that you're all still willing to read and review this story :)_

_Sorr for the wait! xx Susannah xx _


	22. Something Wicked This Way Comes ii

Disclaimer: Own nada.

**Something Wicked This Way Comes (ii)**

As soon as he woke, Ron knew something was wrong. It wasn't something he could put his finger on, but it was unmistakeable nonetheless.

He expressed as much to Harry on their way down to breakfast. The dark-haired Gryffindor had surveyed him seriously. "I think you might be right," was all he would say though.

Now, looking at the front pages of the Daily Prophet, he _knew_ he had been right. The clenching of his stomach did not go away though; the haunting dread did not leave. Ron hadn't felt anxiety like this since he'd known that he would have to be taken unconscious in order for Harry and Hermione to progress to the philosopher's stone.

The whole school was silent with shock, even the Slytherin table had little to say. The giant skull with a snake for its tongue on the front page stole the words from everyone's tongues. Azkaban had been overpowered: decimated; all the convicted deatheaters had vanished and the criminals who had apparently refused to join the Dark Lord had been left Avada Kedavra'd. The Dementors too, it seemed, had vanished, presumably with the Dark Lord. In fact, the Prophet bore very little good news.

There had been attacks on muggles overnight too. Two families in Kent and one in Middlesex, all killed using Avada Kedavra; there was some evidence of the Torture Curse as well. Any witch or wizard who had doubted Voldemort's return was now beyond any such uncertainty as the evidence was plain to see. Voldemort had declared war on muggleborns and any wizards who dared to stand in his way.

Ron breathed a faint sigh of relief that no one at the school had been directly affected, but he knew that really it was only a matter of time. The Dark Lord would not just ignore Hogwarts; it was far too powerful. And there were far too many blood traitors learning hallowed magic.

As though sensing his train of thought Hermione turned to him, anxiety etched on her features. "My family are out there, Ron," she whispered. Her eyes became shiny with tears. "They're unprotected and in danger because of… me."

The redhead slid an arm around her bringing her close. He kissed the top of her head tenderly. "It's ok 'Mione, I'll owl my family. I'm sure we can work something out." Ron rested his forehead against hers and knew in that instant that, whatever else happened in his life, he would always love this girl.

Harry cleared his throat, feeling undeniably awkward. Ron and Hermione broke apart; Ron's ears red and Hermione blushing. The dark-haired boy grinned despite himself.

Then he remembered what he was going to say and his smile abruptly faded.

"Ginny hasn't come down for breakfast"

Ron started, looking around him quickly. "But she wasn't at dinner yesterday?"

"Or lunch," Hermione added, looking sombre.

"In fact, has anyone seen her in the past 24 hours?" Harry asked.

Both his friends shook their heads.

"Maybe we're jumping the gun a little," Hermione ventured. "I mean what can really happen to her at Hogwarts?"

"A lot; we know that from experience!"

Hermione frowned. "Let's go and check the Marauder's Map?"

The two boys nodded in agreement getting up from the table and heading out of the Great Hall. Their going did not go unnoticed.

* * *

Draco had a troubled look on his face which Blaise ignored as long as he possibly could before snapping.

"Why do you look so bloody puzzled?" he finally exclaimed.

"I can't feel her," came the reply.

"Weasley?"

"Who else?"

Blaise fought the desire to roll his eyes. Who else indeed.

"What, you mean like she's asleep?"

"No," Draco shook his head, narrowing his eyes in concentration. "I genuinely don't know where she is, I can't feel her at all."

"Maybe she shut herself off from you after the whole Lucius debacle last night?" Blaise suggested (quite sensibly, he thought).

"She can't, you idiot," the blonde snapped in reply. "Don't you think she would have done when she hated me then?"

Blaise shrugged. Since Persephone's untimely disappearance he'd had little time for anyone else's problems, or indeed anything else: he'd spent the majority of his time in the library finding out as much as he could about Seers, time travelling, body swapping and anything else vaguely relevant to their plight.

"She came to me last night to say something… something about Amelia," Draco said, thinking out loud. "She hadn't seen her all yesterday, she was worried…"

Blaise came to attention. "Amelia was missing?"

The blonde Slytherin didn't answer his question. "Ginny went to see Professor Trelawney about it, I'm sure. Unless she got waylaid and found something else out… She wouldn't have gone to find Amelia on her own, would she? I mean she's a Gryffindor… but she's not stupid…"

His dark-haired friend turned to look at him. "They _are_ loyal above all else..."

Draco swore under his breath, running his hand haphazardly through his hair: a habit, Blaise noted, he had picked up from him.

"My Father told me to get all the deatheater wannabes ready for tomorrow." Draco eyes flew quickly across the headlines of the Prophet, confirming his thoughts as he went. "I suppose I should get on with that."

Blaise looked at him questioningly. "You're picking a side?"

The blonde stared him straight in the eye. "To survive in this war? We're going to have to."

* * *

Ginny finally came to a rest next the protruding roots of an old oak tree. She couldn't remember a time when she hadn't been moving in the woods, when she hadn't been amongst the trees; it seemed like she'd been there forever.

Her journey so far had passed with very little difficult which she didn't know whether to be relieved about or stressed over: either luck was on her side or something more malicious was ensuring her safe passage.

She had been moving all night and her legs were like lead, her shoulders ached from the constant shifting of her bag and she felt like collapsing in a heap right there and then. However, that was not a good idea; if she wanted to survive to get to Amelia, she was going to have to keep her wits about her.

Even without the threat of dark wizards and magic, there was still the possibility of her being attacked by various magical and non-magical beasts that lived in the forests and woods around Britain. If she wanted to sleep, she would have to find somewhere relatively safe.

Hiking the bag across her shoulders and making sure it was secure, Ginny found a foothold in the oak tree and began to climb. She by-passed the lower branches, knowing they were too close to the ground for safety but settled on a thick bough in the very centre of the tree. With the dense branches and twigs on both sides of her, the redhead knew that someone would only see her if they looked specifically up into the tree. Wedging herself in-between the trunk and the bow, she settled down from intense weariness and fell asleep almost immediately.

* * *

"I can't Ron! I can't just leave, I'm head girl!"

"But she's my _sister_," Ron argued heatedly. "She's in trouble!"

"We can't just leave the castle; we don't know where she's gone or why or anything in fact, we'd just be putting ourselves in danger!"

"Harry," Ron appealed. "What do you think?"

The Boy Who Lived looked evenly at his two best friends. "I agree with Hermione," he said at length. Ron deflated and Hermione looked only slightly relieved. "We need to know more before we go after her," he continued, causing them both to look back up at him.

Hermione sighed. "We should go to Dumbledore; he'll know what to do"

* * *

_Next Chapter:_

_"We're going after them, you can follow or fall in line as you like," the blonde Slytherin told them haughtily._

_"We're in," Ron replied fiercely._

_Harry looked at the head girl questioningly. "Hermione?"_


End file.
